


The Prince And The Bandit (YIZHAN - Completed Work)

by Mist3moon3



Category: Bjyx, WangXiao, YiZhan, bozhan - Fandom, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Angst and Romance, BJYX Prompt Fest (The Untamed RPF), BJYX | Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan is Real, Boys In Love, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Idiots in Love, Love, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Punishment, Romance, Slow Romance, True Love, Whipping, bjyxszd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24337003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mist3moon3/pseuds/Mist3moon3
Summary: Lan Wanji stood staring into the void.The palace balcony seemed to wrap itself around the outer walls like a snake choking its victim.That was precisely how the young Prince of Jade felt. Lately, he had been finding himself drowning in a whirlpool of expectations. Meaningless ones.He recounted the impromptu dinner reception that his uncle Lan Qiren had arranged with a  neighbouring kingdom.
Relationships: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Wang Yi Bo & Xiao Zhan, Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan
Comments: 186
Kudos: 291





	1. The Prince of Jade

**Author's Note:**

> Hi The Untamed fandom and all YiZhan supporters out there! 
> 
> I am back! As promised, I am embarking on my second writing entitled The Prince and the Bandit. As usual, I am not working with a story board but I trust that my mind will take us on another exciting journey! 
> 
> I do hope you will enjoy this work as much as my pilot YiZhan inspired work. By the way, my  
> previous work was NOT BETAed so please excuse any errors as English isn't my primary language. I should have disclosed this much earlier! This one however is betaed by the wonderful and lovely @just_me_Nelly (thanks hun)!
> 
> I would love to receive comments and kudos from you as usual. So enough said, let's go!

Lan Wanji stood staring into the void. 

The palace balcony seemed to wrap itself around the outer walls like a snake choking its victim. 

That was precisely how the young Prince of Jade felt. Lately, he had been finding himself drowning in a whirlpool of expectations. Meaningless ones.

He recounted the impromptu dinner reception that his uncle Lan Qiren had arranged with a neighbouring kingdom. 

The feast had been grand and lavishly prepared for the royal invitees until he realised too late that he was the main dish.

It was undoubtedly a match making proposal, one of many set up by his aged uncle purported for a political alliance, power allegiance and a guaranteed perpetual sovereignty for the Kingdom of Lan. 

Lan Zhan and his older brother Lan Xichen were known as the Twin Jades.

Lan Xichen was spared of the royal duty to carry on the lineage of the Lan kingdom because of a recurring dream that his uncle had. So the pressure rests fully on an unimpressed Lan Zhan.

Orphaned from young, both brothers were survived by their only uncle who is bent on preserving the Lan legacy.

The princess who sat opposite Lan Zhan was clearly beautiful but Lan Zhan was just not interested. 

He took pity on the girl as awkward silence continued to act as a divider between them so he made up his mind to speak boldly.

'Thank you but I will not be accepting this royal proposal because I have already chosen someone else'

Lan Zhan's outright rejection was brutal like cold blade freezing warm blood. 

All chatters stopped as heads turned in his direction.

Lan Xichen covered his forehead with his hand and shook his head slightly from side to side. His younger brother had done it again. 

He had broken the Lan laws for speaking at the table without permission and worse of all, made a decision without consulting their uncle.

The dejected princess suddenly burst into tears and sobbed loudly in front of the mortified king and queen. 

Uncle Lan had of course lost his temper entirely and the palace guards were ordered to escort Lan Zhan out and confine him in the palace's study. 

Lan Zhan knew with certainty that after his uncle had succeeded in pacifying the royalties who were making haste their leave, there would be heavy consequences that involve a long lecture and physical punishments for him.

His fine boned face matched his perfect almond eyes and the combination gave him an exquisite look that bordered between the edge of refined elegance and manliness.

He thought to himself. He might as well enjoy the cool breeze billowing from the nearby forest and the sweet song of a distant nightingale before things turn ugly. 

His ears caught an unfamiliar sound and a puzzled look crossed his face. The strange noise was coming from inside the study.

He turned around and walked into the light's path and froze.

A figure dressed in complete black from head to toe was seen tiptoeing with what looked like a pile of spoils from the palace. The only colour contrast visible was a red sash that was tied around the waist like a belt.

Lan Zhan recognised the palace artifacts that were clutched in two steady hands, gold war medallions, some non descript items he couldn't make out and ancestors' jewelleries that had been displayed in the grand palace museum.

He couldn't see the thief's face as the treasures were blocking his upper body and his face. 

Lan Zhan stood watching in disbelief as the man continued to make his way toward the opening and then stopped all of a sudden as he became aware of Lan Zhan's presence.

A masked face stuck out from the side of the stolen goods. Acting as if he was performing a royal duty, he lowered his hands slowly and emptied the spoils into an ancient rattan weaved basket which was conveniently situated near him.

'Good evening your royal highness. Terribly sorry for intruding your evening. I was just making my way out...'

He clasped his hands together and extended them out in salutation and bowed low.

'Where the hell are you going with my things you wretched scum of the earth!'

Lan Zhan's eyes lit with an inferno and his neck veins could be seen throbbing as anger seethed through his words.

'Whoa... relax. I have been called worst but here's the deal. I AM leaving with all these things. These are things that you won't even notice amiss but they can buy a whole village food plus I have been pretty considerate and economical...'

'Considerate??? Economical???' The flabbergasted Lan Zhan was now breathing like a dragon.

His facial expression warned the mystery intruder that things were about to get ugly and hostile.

'Yeah, well... for instance. There were ten precious stones in the women's royal collection. I just took one of the stones, the smallest stone, I believe it was a red ruby and left the rest. Then there was another inventory of combs from different periods so I just picked the one I recognised which was from the Han dynasty and I also couldn't resist taking some of the war artefacts hanging on the wall...'

'Stop talking!' Lan Zhan boomed.

Out of the blue Lan Zhan drew his sword which had been sitting in the sheath tied to his waist and without warning charged directly at the thief.

The mystery burglar reacted immediately and dodged his attack easily by step sliding to his left.

He dared chuckle and obnoxiously waved his finger back at the Prince.

'That's the problem with you rich people. You take everything for granted and you don't know a thing about sharing.'

The light footed thief moved with great agility and speed such that it surprised Lan Zhan. When Lan Zhan brought his sword forward again, the thief spotted a long stoking iron nearby and grabbed it just in time to block Lan Zhan's blow while keeping his free hand behind his back.

The clash of sword against iron went on for a long time as if the two men were training for a fighting performance. 

They moved around the study in a controlled manner as if to avoid destroying the ancient furniture and sacred scripts and books that had been housed there for years.

The mystery thief jumped over a low table and found himself cornered by walls of books around him.

Lan Zhan did not waste any time striking him down right in the middle but the thief had anticipated his move and was able to protect himself from being split into two with his quick dexterity.

Strength pushed against strength. Breathing grew heavy from opposite nostrils as they locked themselves in battle.

'For a Prince, your sword skills aren't bad. I must admit that you're pretty remarkable and I'm deeply impressed with your blade play'

'I don't like flattery and I certainly don't like you! Reveal yourself now or die by my hands!'

'You're such a drama queen though I must say your beauty surpassed even that of the glowing moon on a cloudless summer night. In my entire life, I have never seen such divine beauty, especially up so close...'

The thief inched his masked face closer and closer until their noses were almost touching and their lips aligned.

Lan Zhan was taken aback for a split second. A foreign sensation rocked his entire being and he didn't know how to deal with it.

He was having difficulty catching his breath and this made him angrier. 

He pushed off the unwanted flirtations by withdrawing and standing back in defense mode.

'Look at you... all poised and graceful even when you are angry... but I gotta go. The villagers are counting on me for their provisions so I'm just going to head off. I enjoyed our little sparring very much. I guess I'll be seeing you around!'

He winked at Lan Zhan and then did the unexpected. 

He summersaulted through the air right before Lan Zhan's eyes and landed behind him and broke into a run. 

Grabbing the basket of goods, he whistled hard and called out 'Sui Bian, wo lai le!'  
(I am coming)

Standing at the top of the balcony he heard the sound of faithful gallops drawing nearer and smiled. As he saw Lan Zhan making his way forward toward him clearly momentarily disarmed. 

He blew him a kiss in the air while holding up to show him the jade bracelet he had removed from his wrist while flirting with him much to Lan Zhan's chagrin and jumped off the concrete into the night.

'Wretched thief! I'm going to hunt you down I swear on my mother's grave!'

Wei Wuxian rode his horse hard and fast with the wind against his face. He had already removed his mask, pocketed it and wore an extremely satisfied look on his face. 

His smile was so wide that he could not contain his laughter which filled the palace ground as he disappeared into the darkness as soft mist from the lotus lake shrouded his silhouette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of Chapter 1?


	2. The Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Here is Chapter 2!  
> Hope you're liking this new fanfic  
> Thank you to all my faithful supporters for being here. I love you all! ❤️❤️❤️  
> Warning : Involves Whipping for Punishment 😬

'Lan Wanji! You are trying my patience! Why can't you do the one thing that will save the future of the kingdom?! Do you know that your parents are turning in their graves this very moment?!! Answer me!!!'

Still, Lan Zhan remained silent. Only his eyes burned with stubborn determination.

'Hit! Harder! 10 more strokes! Do it now!'

Lan Qiren raised his voice as his hand motioned the two guards to strike.

His instruction was issued out of desperation and he willed to break Lan Zhan.

The guards though hesitant and heavy hearted had no choice but to carry out the royal command. 

Fifty whip lashes had been administered prior as they formed deep imprints on raw skin which had turned deep purple and blood was oozing out from fresh wounds. 

Lan Zhan didn't care if he died of pain but his heart was the only thing that mattered to him which he intended to protect with his life. He braced himself as his exposed flesh readied itself for searing agony.

The whips never touched him. Lan Xichen had appeared to intervene the beating and hurried to their uncle.

'Uncle, I beg you for forgiveness on behalf of Wanji. He is still young. Let me talk to him instead. Please hand him over to me so that I can reason with him'

The old guardian shut his eyes close and sighed inwardly. He was completely out of his wits and though he was secretly fond of Lan Zhan as he was extremely smart and highly skilled he could not understand his resistance for marriage.

After a long while, he nodded his head slowly and dismissed the guards.

'I am handing your brother over to you. I don't want to see him or talk to him until he agrees to marry someone. I don't care whom he chooses ... just make sure he ties the knot'

Without acknowledging Lan Zhan, he strode out of the palace courtyard.

Lan Xichen rushed to help his brother stand.

'Your back must hurt a lot. Come with me quickly so that I can apply the healing salve on it before it gets infected'

Lan Zhan just nodded his head and allowed his brother to aid him back into his own chamber.

***

Lan Zhan was in bed for an entire week. His back wounds had been healing nicely thanks to his brother's expert medicinal knowledge and ministration.

He needed space to clear his own head which was undergoing a different kind of mental torture. 

He heard his brother's voice echo loud and clear in his head.

'At some point in time Wanji, you will need to wed no matter how long you choose to put off marriage. Just remember that'

He hated that his brother was right but he could not visualise himself living under a forced life.

Didn't he read somewhere from his deceased father's library about love to be a two way thing, about the need to establish trust between two individuals, developing equal partnership and something about the heart's gift of knowing what it wants even though it may completely defy logic.

None of the above had happened and he was beginning to think that love was just a fiction writers create to evoke romanticism just to entice readers so that they would be tricked into buying their work.

He needed to get out of his prison. 

Changed into his riding habit, his sword accompanied him as he headed to the stable to fetch Bichen, his white stallion. Once mounted, he trotted out toward the direction of the forest. There was only one place he wanted to be right now as he hurried Bichen into a gallop.

The White Sage Lake was bathed in weak moonlight. The sacred plants which grew there were in season and were well known for their healing spirits and calming properties.

He tied Bichen to a low tree and proceeded to walk toward the lake. The lake's loneliness seemed to reflect his own as he stared at his reflection in the water.

He started stripping out of his double layered hanfu and waded right into the cool water. 

He let himself submerge deeper into the cool lake such that only the top of his shoulders and head was seen above the water.

Then he shut his eyes and started meditating, absorbing all the chi around him. His breathing and heartbeat became one as he welcomed all the peace and harmony into his soul.

The tranquility however didn't last as an unwelcome voice broke his reverie.

'Gu niang (young maiden), is it safe for you to be out skinny dipping unaccompanied? You're lucky I happened to pass by so don't worry, I'll keep you safe and make sure no one comes around'

Lan Zhan could recognise that voice anywhere. It was the voice of the one who had invaded his sleep, haunting him in his dreams. 

He had found his wretched thief or rather, it was the other way round.

He stilled himself as his brain started devising a quick strategy. 

He couldn't risk giving himself away if he were to catch his perpetrator. So he played along and nodded in silence.

A small chuckle was heard as twigs snapped nearby indicating that the 'self righteous pretender' was standing too close for his comfort. His spine naturally went rigid.

As if that person had read his mind, he heard the reply.

'Don't you worry, I am not a pervert but am a rather refined gentleman despite my odd profession. From the outline of your profile, I can tell that you are a delicate beauty and I am never wrong with my assessment. I'll leave you to enjoy your swim and will remain within earshot. I might as well attend to our hungry horses'

Lan Zhan waited until the sound of footsteps had completely faded before wading out from the lake. He reached out for his clothes and put them on swiftly.

Thankful that the clouds had blocked out the moonlight, he made his way to where he had left Bichen.

The mystery thief was nowhere in sight. He recalled that he had wanted to feed the horses and assumed that he was still out hunting for food. 

His attention was drawn to the two horses. He noticed that the man's horse was a gorgeous midnight stallion and recognised it to be from a choice breed.

The black beauty was trying to cosy up to Bichen, licking his face without shame, contrary to Lan Zhan's liking. Lan Zhan was also conscious of the fact that both horses were male.

He shook his head in exasperation. The horse's attitude was exactly like his master's. He was just about to reach out to break the outrageous attention that the black mare was giving Bichen when he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Lan Zhan kept his back toward the frivolous flirt.

'Oh there you are... and you are already dressed'

Did he hear a distinct tone of disappointment? Lan Zhan gritted his teeth but made no attempt to move.

The voice continued.

'I couldn't find much for the horses in these forests expect some wild barley...'

At that very moment, one of his feet got caught under a giant tree root which caused his entire body to launch forward.

Without control, Wei Ying felt himself thrust forward helplessly towards the maiden.

Lan Zhan didn't think as his body acted on impulse on its own making him turn around fully. There was no time to worry about his disguise as he caught the in coming body part slamming into him with such a great force that both of them went down simultaneously.

They landed on soft grass, body on top of body and their faces connected when their lips were forced to lock.

Wei Ying instinctively kissed the mouth that was offered to him and it felt like his head had exploded into million of stars. It was a kiss that he had never encountered before and it caused his adrenaline to rush, making him feel giddy in a good way.

He slowly opened his eyes intending to savour the look on his conquest when he found himself staring straight into a set of eyes he had sworn to avoid. 

Lan Zhan's face came into his peripheral view and something hit his stomach so hard that it knocked all the wind out of him.

The realisation finally triggered his brain to start working, sending urgent messages to let his heart know that it would be a good time for him to have a cardiac arrest.

Horrified to find what he had done, he backed up to a standing position abruptly and let out a scream.

He started rubbing his lips furiously with his hands hoping to get rid of the slightest evidence of the kiss. His tongue seemed to have also gone ballistic, moving wildly as if to cleanse whatever his mouth had claimed earlier. 

His brain however, had other ideas. How could it feel so right and so wrong at the same time?

Lan Zhan didn't give him any time to work out his thought process as he got up to his feet and drew his sword a second time after their palace encounter.

'Kneel you... you... wretched being...'

Lan Zhan tried to steady his voice but failed completely. He was caught somewhere between extreme euphoria and sheer disgust.

Wei Ying dropped instantly to his knees and bowed down on the ground in front of the Prince's feet.

He pushed all his crazy thoughts about the Prince aside and started babbling.

'Your royal highness. Forgive me, I seriously thought you were a maiden. That was an unpardonable mistake on my part. I will take whatever punishment you choose to decree'

The words 'unpardonable mistake' helped to clear up what confusion Lan Zhan had in his brain along with the exaggerated display of antics. At least, it was clear that the kiss had meant nothing since it was directed at an imaginary female. But why then was a part of him feeling disappointed and why was his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

'Why didn't you say anything when I called out to you in the lake? Also, why are you travelling without your royal consort?'

'Shut up and listen up you wretched piece of shit'

'You don't seem to possess a wide range of vocabulary calling me wretched every time we meet. You could use my name which is Wei Ying by the way or if you don't fancy calling me by my name which is fine with me, you could perhaps use references such as a bandit, vagabond or rougue which helps to improve my reputation'

Lan Zhan ignored him completely.

'Shut up and listen wretch! Under normal circumstances, I should have beheaded you but I am willing to let this... this incident slip on one condition'

Wei Ying couldn't help but to steal a look at the Prince as he lifted his face up to stare at the Prince.

Lan Zhan was momentarily stunned at the face which he was properly seeing for the very first time. The face staring up at him was damn attractive and handsome under the visible moonlight. His heart started fluttering out of control.

'What condition?'

Wei Ying asked carefully blinking his eyes which did nothing to improve Lan Zhan's heart rate. He forced himself to concentrate.

'On the condition that you return my jade bracelet which you had stolen from me. You can keep the other goods but I need that piece of jewellery returned before the strike of midnight on the morrow'

Wei Ying sighed. That piece of jewellery had been his biggest gain while bargaining at a pawn store. The burly store owner had not been impressed with Wei Ying who had managed to squeeze his profit to a minimal. It was an impossible task to fulfil as the jewellery could easily have been traded due to its value.

Wei Ying decided to come clean with Lan Zhan.

'I don't have it anymore as I've sold it off. Say, you don't happen to have another piece of jewellery that I can pawn ...'

The look on Lan Zhan's face stopped him from continuing as he pouted and mumbled quietly to himself ...

'Fine, fine I'll get it back even if it costs me my life'

'It belonged to my mother and it's the only item I have to remember her by'

Lan Zhan wasn't sure why he was sharing deep secrets with the bastard.

Wei Ying looked at him speechless.

'And you have to stop your horse from flirting with mine'

Wei Ying looked behind the Prince to see the two animals bonding lovingly as their tails swished and swooshed intertwining happily.

Wei Ying looked in alarm as the thought of their kiss flooded back into his head again. He got up quickly and marched past Lan Zhan toward Sui Bian.

'Okay easy there old boy. We can't get mixed up with crowds that we don't belong to. Come on, I'll find you another mate.'

Lan Zhan didn't know why his heart ached on hearing Wei Ying mention 'crowd we don't belong to'. He didn't have time to process about the kiss and was afraid to go to his thoughts because of what he would likely find out about himself.

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow at the Prince whose expression was now unreadable. With a nod, he dragged Sui Bian off in the opposite direction and avoided looking back at the Prince whom he knew was looking intensely at him.

He had not bothered with the royal salutation which was expected of all commoners and wondered how his defiant behaviour was affecting Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan didn't seem to be the least bothered over the lack of salutation and watched until Wei Ying was out of sight before letting go of the breath he had been holding in. He swallowed hard. Something had unlocked inside of him from the moment Wei Ying had kissed him and he knew his heart was in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are highly appreciated! I already have ideas for Chapter 3 and hope to get this out to you soon! 😎😎😎


	3. The Trade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi fandom! I am pleased to present Chapter 3 to you! Go read! 😉

'Wei Ying! Come on! Come out! We're going to be late for our appointment with Lan Xichen!' 

An impatient Jiang Chen shouted, banging his curled up fist against the kitchen table while imagining his brother as the table top.

Wei Ying was just coming out of his bedroom but sleep hovered over him as dark rings circled his eyes making him look like a panda bear. 

Standing in front of Jiang Chen, he yawned unceremoniously which cracked up Yanli.

Wei Ying treated both Jiang Chen and Yanli as if they were his biological older siblings even though he was adopted by the Jiang clan before their parents' death.

As far as he could remember, his adopted brother was always in a foul mood whenever he was present.

He had been secretly out on a mission till wee hours of the morning without the knowledge of his siblings.

Yanli took pity on him.

'That's enough Jiang Chen. Look at this face. He must have fallen sick'

Jiang Chen snorted.

'Since when did he ever fall ill from being super hyper?!'

The statement was partly true as Wei Ying was indeed a night owl and didn't need much sleep.

He was always up and about practicing sword fighting alone or down at the village helping out folks with their work. 

'Morning Shijie' 

He addressed his sister fondly and stuck out a tongue at Jiang Chen who retaliated instantly by swatting his arm.

'No fighting over the breakfast table you guys'

Wei Ying plopped himself down on his seat and felt pain shot up his side. 

He had forgotten about last night's injury and hid his grimace by pretending to wipe his nose. 

He sucked in air nosily through his nose pretending to have caught the flu while waiting for the pain to subside.

'Oh Wei Ying, did you catch a cold? Here, drink this hot tea'

Yanli poured the hot liquid into the china while an unimpressed Jiang Chen rolled his eyes.

Wei Ying smiled brightly at his sister and then turned to glare at Jiang Chen who snorted at him a second time.

After breakfast, the two brothers set out to the palace.

'Do you really need me to accompany you to see Lan Xichen? It's not like you don't have things under control'

'I do have things under control. Since you seemed to be able to negotiate your way out of practically any situation, you are just my back up plan in case things should go awry'

Wei Ying trailed behind Jiang Chen mouthing 'just a back up plan' while making a face at his back.

'I can hear you Wei Ying' Jiang Chen said and purposely put speed in his strides.

Wei Ying hurried along to catch up with his brother.

'Besides, you never know what to expect from the royal family. They are powerful and have complex personalities. We are forever at their mercy'

Wei Ying found himself pondering over what his brother had said but he couldn't decide to agree or disagree with him.

He was however aware of the fact that commoners and royalties were about as compatible as water and oil.

He suddenly thought of the Prince. He had fulfilled Lan Zhan's royal command to retrieve the jade bracelet on the Prince's term but there had been consequences in the course of executing his mission.

As expected, the jade bracelet had been traded off. It ended up in the possession of a powerful mafia.

Wei Ying had to use his intel network to track him down.

The mafia's home was heavily guarded and it had taken him hours just to break through tight security. 

Finding the item had been easy as it was worn around the mafia's wrist. Just as he was removing it from the sleeping mobster, a piercing scream penetrated the night. 

The mafia's wife had just entered the bedroom after what must had been a trip to the washroom and all hell had broken loose.

The mafia woke with a start and managed to grab Wei Ying's wrist which held the jade.

To distract him, Wei Ying flung the jewellery up into the air and tugged himself free.

He caught it safely back in his hand but didn't expect to see a dagger aimed right at his heart.

He turned just in time to avoid a stab to his beating mass but the weapon managed to lodge itself in his lower body. 

He groaned in pain and knew that he was in danger. He struggled with the pound of flesh who was attempting a second attack on him and managed to administer a blow to his head which knocked him backward.

Before the disoriented man could get back up on his feet, Wei Ying escaped through an open window.

Since the ground security had been alerted, he had no choice but to climb higher onto the roof top and ran along the length of the gutter before disappearing into the dark. 

He was getting tired of his side job and seriously thought about stopping before he got himself killed.

The only consolation for him was the hope that he had managed to redeem himself in the eyes of the Prince.

For some unexplained reason, how the Prince regarded him was dead important to him.

He could not forget their kiss either. The Prince's lips had been so soft and enticing and it had made him burn with desire.

He found himself shamelessly kissing those lips over and over again in his dreams. 

Was Lan Zhan dreaming about him? Was Lan Zhan thinking about him?

'Wei Ying' Jiang Chen waved a hand in front of his brother's face.

'You have not been paying any attention to what I have said for the past half hour'

'I hear you, I'm just not listening to you' Wei Ying answered dreamily walking past his brother.

'...' Jiang Chen opened his mouth to say something but decided to shut his trap.

It was no use talking to his brother whom he had noticed lately to be in his own world.

***

Jiang Chen and Wei Ying were shown into the palace by a royal escort.

'Please wait here. The Prince will be out shortly'

They bowed to each other according to the palace ritual and the two brothers were left standing in the grand throne room. 

The Prince appeared shortly but it was not Lan Xichen. 

A formally dressed Lan Zhan was making his way to where they stood.

Wei Ying gasped and made a quick move to hide behind Jiang Chen.

'I don't think it is a good idea to deal with the young prince. He can be hot tempered and moody' Wei Ying whispered urgently.

'Also, I may have had a little run in with the Prince the other day.' Wei Ying confessed unwillingly.

'Wei Wuxian, of all people why did you have to poke the Prince?!' his brother hissed back.

Before Wei Ying could answer, his brother chose that very moment to bow in salutation.

Nowhere to hide, Wei Ying chose to straighten himself as Lan Zhan's eyes bore right into his own.

He managed to flash a wide grin at Lan Zhan who stood stock still, unsmiling and serious.

Lan Zhan shifted his attention to Jiang Chen who was nudging his brother as it was his turn to perform the salutation.

Wei Ying didn't bow but continued to smile brightly at prince charming.

When Lan Zhan refused to reciprocate his affection, he pouted in disappointment.

That was when he felt Jiang Chen's hand smacked hard into the back of his head making his ears ring.

'Why aren't you bowing?!' Jiang Chen spoke fiercely. 

'Jiang leader, how nice to see you. My brother is attending to some urgent palace briefings and asked that I attend to your needs instead. I hope you don't mind'

Jiang Chen bowed a second time.

'Your royal highness, please forgive my brother's impetuous behaviour. I will teach him proper etiquette and mark my words, he will be punished'

'It's okay. I will never force any subject to do anything they don't want to do'

While Jiang Chen seemed perturbed by the unexpected answer, Wei Ying's face lit up in delight as he broke into another huge smile.

Lan Zhan's heart was in danger of collapsing as he discovered how lethal Wei Ying's smile could do to him.

'What can I do to be of help?'  
He forced his attention back at Jiang Chen.

'There is a piece of land which borders the Lotus Lake which belongs to my deceased parents that is currently under the royal custody. I would like to claim it since I am of age now to work on it with the hope of turning it into an agricultural farm'

Lan Zhan thought about the issue carefully before answering. 

'According to the book of laws, there must be a fair exchange of either property or services for the land to be discharged into your care'

Jiang Chen looked perplexed as they had no land other than the land where their current house was built and he couldn't think of any skills or services that the royals could possibly want.

'I... I am sorry your royal highness. I am at loss of a suitable substitute'

Lan Zhan spoke quickly.

'I have a proposal then. I understand that your brother is quite resourceful. Perhaps he could be of service to the palace'

The Prince's proposal managed to wipe off the smile that had been plastered on Wei Ying's face. 

Lan Zhan tried his best not to laugh at Wei Ying's dismayed look.

Jiang Chen processed what was said and began to nod his head vigorously. He turned around and patted his stunned brother on his shoulder.

'Wei Ying will only be too glad to be of service to you and my sister and I are most grateful for this amicable solution. If he does get out of hand, you have our permission to deal with him as it deem fit'

'Very well then. The palace officials will prepare the immediate transfer of the land deed into your custody'

Wei Ying found his voice at last.

'Jiang Chen, you can't leave me here. You need help at the farm and I have the villagers to look after'

'You needn't worry Wei Ying. I will make sure everything is taken care of'

'But I need to go home to pack ...' Wei Ying's voice grew frantic.

'That won't be necessary. We have everything you need here at the palace' Lan Zhan answered him calmly.

Jiang Chen seemed pleased. 

'Okay that settles then. I will take my leave and tell my sister the good news'

'Jiang Chen! Don't leave me! I will miss Shijie's pork rib soup!'

Jiang Chen was already making his salutation and gave Wei Ying a 'everything will be fine' wink before leaving the palace promptly.

***

Awkward moments passed between Lan Zhan and Wei Ying as they stared at each other in silence.

'What were you thinking?!'

'I wanted to thank you for retrieving my bracelet'

They both spoke together.

'Some thank you Lan Zhan, keeping me here as a prisoner of war. Is this the kind of sick punishment that you have in mind?'

'I am not keeping you as a prisoner. I actually need your help. You will be my personal attendant and bodyguard'

'What??? Don't you have servants who are under your employment to do all that???'

'No one at the palace seemed to possess the level of skills that you have. I will pay you wages. It's not for free'

'I don't need your money when I can get them freely from ...'

'I have been sending provisions to your village so that you don't have to steal anymore'

'...'

Lan Zhan stood in front of Wei Ying and took out a royal correspondence. He showed him the contents and the unmistaken royal seal that bore his signature.

Wei Ying read it and was convinced that Lan Zhan meant every word he had said about sending aid to the village. 

It was not just a once off help as his royal instructions were for deliveries to be made on a monthly basis.

'Thank you' Wei Ying replied in disbelief. 

His heart was gravitating towards this new Lan Zhan that he liked a lot but Lan Zhan was not looking at him.

He followed his eyes and saw what had grabbed his attention.

There was a red patch on his attire which he knew to be blood oozing out from his unattended wound.

Despite Wei Ying's objection, Lan Zhan tucked open his front clothing to reveal heavy bleeding beneath.

'That's one nasty wound and I need to get you cleaned up immediately'

'This isn't anything to worry about...' Wei Ying wanted badly to cover up the ugly sight but Lan Zhan restrained him by grabbing his wrist. 

The heat from his grasp sent a delicious sensation down his spine. 

'Are you defying a royal decree?' Lan Zhan challenged Wei Ying who shook his head.

Lan Zhan started cleaning the affected area using alcohol. 

Wei Ying was lost under Lan Zhan's touch. When his fingers accidentally grazed over his skin, he almost moaned with pleasure and felt his ears growing hot.

The sweet sensation was suddenly replaced by pain when the alcohol interacted with his raw wound. He gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out loud.

Lan Zhan gave Wei Ying a sympathetic look and proceeded to bandage him.

'Did this happen while you were retrieving my bracelet?'

'Why should it matter to you since I am only a royal subject? Had I failed, death would have been the consequence'

Wei Ying stated facts which Lan Zhan knew to be true of their kingdom's laws.

'If I am in power I would change some of these stupid laws'

Wei Ying let out a surprised gasp but didn't want to read too much into its connotation.

A lady in waiting interrupted their conversation, carrying a basin of warm water. She blushed at seeing Wei Ying's exposed body.

He winked at her and said what came to his mind.

'I shall enjoy being attended to by such a pretty flower...'

This made the maiden giggle and blush.

'Thank you Mian Mian. I'll take over from here'

Lan Zhan blocked the sight of the girl as she left and a dark cloud seemed to have descended over him.

He rinsed the white cloth in warm water and squeezed it dry. Rubbing it over Wei Ying's skin to remove whatever blood stain there was visible, he applied more pressure than was necessary which made Wei Ying yelp in pain.

'Don't be such a baby. It can't be as painful if you are able to flirt so quickly. You should rest now as I expect you to be ready for duty tomorrow'

Lan Zhan's voice sounded off to Wei Ying and he didn't have a clue what came over him.

'What just happened? Tell me what I did wrong'

Lan Zhan was already walking away and refused to answer.

'Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan!'

Wei Ying watched him leave and scratched his head, completely puzzled with the change in Lan Zhan's mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave me comments and kudos! I love to hear from all of you! I won't be able to update as regularly since I am swamped with work but I will be back! 😘😘😘


	4. Royal Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fandom! I miss you guys so much! I'm so sorry that work had kept me away for so long. Here's Chapter 4 at last! I hope you'll like it! 😂
> 
> Also, a special, special thanks to the dearest and most amazing just_me_Nelly for being my beta all over again even though she is not a part of this fandom! Love you to the moon and back ❤️

Wei Ying entered the throne room to find Lan Zhan waiting for him.

He was dressed in his official robe which made him look regal. On his forehead he wore the royal headband which bore the cloud insignia.

The image was one of perfection and it took Wei Ying's breath away as he stood gaping.

Lan Zhan's hands were held behind his back and he threw Wei Ying a piercing look. About time he thought.

Wei Ying was already immune to Lan Zhan's expressions which he decided were definitely lacking variation.

'Do you have to wear that winter expression on your face each time? The sun's blazing outside but with that look, you'll likely freeze everything to death'

Wei Ying made a face and pursed his lips disapprovingly at Lan Zhan before transforming into a huge grin.

'I am just kidding!' 

He let out a hearty laugh.

Lan Zhan blinked his eyes. He had never heard anyone laugh so freely before. Wei Ying's rich laughter was music to his ears. 

For a moment, he forgot that he was a prince whose sole responsibility was to lead his kingsmen when he ascended the throne in future as their king.

He became a vulnerable human being instead. His heart was beginning to learn and understand about his inner feelings.

An awakened longing stirred within him for something utterly forbidden. Temptations in the form of his royal bodyguard.

Wei Ying was now standing far too close for his comfort and his heart was beating so loudly that he was positively sure Wei Ying could hear it. 

He took a step back to put distance between them and held out a scroll that he had been holding behind his back.

Wei Ying raised an eyebrow and tried not to let Lan Zhan's coldness affect him.

It bothered him that none of his smiles were able to melt the ice prince. 

'You are late' Lan Zhan said without preamble.

'Good morning to you too'

Wei Ying was not going to let Lan Zhan's sour mood destroy a perfectly lovely morning.

'I actually got lost in this huge palace of yours trying to find my way here. The palace is practically like an entire village under one roof. You need to give me a map!' 

An impatient Lan Zhan interjected. 

'I have to hold court now so come along. You'll have to pick things up along the way as there isn't any time left to brief you on your duties'

Without warning, Lan Zhan jabbed one end of the scroll right at the center of Wei Ying's chest making him gasp.

Sulking, Wei Ying reached out to take the scroll from Lan Zhan while his free hand started rubbing the aching area.

His attention went back to the scroll as his eyes widened in disbelief at the amount of instructions that were printed in bold characters on the parchment.

The end of the scroll fell toward the floor like a cascading waterfall as it dragged out more paper forming rolls of debris around his feet.

His mouth was wide open, alarmed at the overwhelming amount of details that was causing his head to spin.

Noticing that Lan Zhan had headed off, Wei Ying bent down quickly to scoop the unread duties from the floor and hurried after him.

'These seem like an impossible long list of tasks. Lan Zhan, surely there must have been some mistake'

'A royal bodyguard needs to keep a distance of at least one meter from his master. Rule no 10'

Wei Ying fumbled through the document to look for the said rule and true enough, Lan Zhan was right.

'Rule no 1. You shall always protect the life of your master with your own life.  
Rule no 2. You shall never leave your master unattended at all times.  
Rule no 3. You shall secure your master's safety at all times by going before him to check on security...'

'AIright, alright. Give me a break Lan Zhan!' Wei Ying interrupted in exasperation. 

His head was about to explode just listening to Lan Zhan rant. There must have been at least 200 rules on the list.

Lan Zhan stopped moving.

'What now?' Wei Ying asked.

'Have you forgotten rule no. 3?' Lan Zhan asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Wei Ying was not enjoying the master servant relationship. His immediate reaction was to annoy Lan Zhan.

'Wait here your royal highness. Let me check the hallway for signs of the living dead' He answered ridiculously on purpose.

He proceeded to stick his head out into the hall way and stepped outside. All his movements were completely exaggerated.

'All clear. No signs of any headless men after you' The corner of his lips lifted into a teasing smile. 

There was something endearing about Wei Ying's behaviour which almost made Lan Zhan smile but he managed to stop himself in time.

'Rule no 5. After checking, always allow me to walk first before escorting me from behind'

'Shit! Don't tell me you have this whole list of commands committed to memory?'

'It is my curse that I was born with a photographic memory'

'What's the last rule?'

'You shall remain in my service unless released solely by me. Rule no 200'

'I am bonded to you?!'  
Wei Ying choked and felt like the sky just fell on top of him.

'Hmmm' 

Before Wei Ying could object further, Lan Zhan proceeded to enter the court room.

There was already a long line of people waiting for their cases to be heard. 

The morning was long for Wei Ying as he stood next to the prince while he heard each case patiently and meticulously dealt with all the people's issues.

After 3 consecutive hours of listening and concentrating, Wei Ying felt his eye lids became heavy as he felt himself dosing off. He found the palace beam a perfect place for him to lean on.

Something hard hit him on the shoulder and Wei Ying woke up with a start. Lan Zhan had thrown his royal seal at him.

'Try and stay awake Wei Ying' Lan Zhan's voice was stern. He rose and went over to where Wei Ying stood.

Wei Ying noticed that the entire court had cleared out and they were alone.

Lan Zhan brought something up to his nose.

'Inhale'

Wei Ying complied as strong peppermint scent assaulted his nose and made his eyes water. His senses were immediately sharpened.

'What is this stuff?'

He grabbed Lan Zhan's hand without thinking and was trying to extract the small porcelain bottle from him.

Wei Ying's touch was warm and it made Lan Zhan's heart flutter. He felt his own hand reach out to restrain Wei Ying from taking the bottle and they ended up wrestling.

'Lan Zhan, I just want to see it. I'm not trying to steal it from you'

'Hands off. This is a potent drug'

'Are you telling me you are on drugs?' 

'It is only used to revive the sick soldiers during the war'

'How come I've never come across this stuff before?' He snatched the bottle right out of Lan Zhan's hand when his guard was down.

He took another smell of the drug and felt immediately energised and awake.

Lan Zhan was looking at him intensely but did not attempt to retrieve the potion from him this time.

He eyed Lan Zhan contemplating to ask more questions but decided it was more important to preserve his personal integrity so he handed the bottle back to Lan Zhan reluctantly.

When Lan Zhan took it from him, their fingers touched momentarily. 

Lan Zhan caught a flicker of faint amusement on Wei Ying's face and turned his face away to hide his embarrassed look.

'Wait!'

Lan Zhan held his breath. He was afraid that his infatuation was becoming clear to Wei Ying.

'What?' Lan Zhan asked cautiously.

'Rule no 3' Wei Ying had interpreted Lan Zhan's moving away as a sign that the prince was ready to leave the court house.

Wei Ying marched out to check the passageway and winked at Lan Zhan.

'The coast is clear your royal highness' Wei Ying said it like a proper bodyguard.

Lan Zhan wasn't sure why he felt flustered and frustrated at the same time but proceeded to walk ahead of Wei Ying who maintained a safe distance behind him.

***

They walked along the outer courtyard toward a small bridge that connected the grounds between the court house and the summer house. 

A little brook ran between the two premises and the cherry blossoms which were in full bloom looked picturesque against the backdrop of an azure sky.

Wei Ying waited for Lan Zhan to cross the bridge keeping distance as his eyes scanned the perimeter for any possible threats. 

The scenery before him captured Lan Zhan as if he was the main object of attention and he could not help gawking at his elegant profile. 

He sighed in admiration and followed after Lan Zhan like a little puppy.

As they made their way up the steps to the summer house, Wei Ying caught sight of the maidservant whom he had encountered on the first day at the palace while his wounds were being attended to by Lan Zhan.

He gave her a friendly smile and waved happily at her. She blushed with shyness and giggled, burying her face in her long sleeves.

Lan Zhan had been watching the little play from the corner of his eyes and his mouth twitched.

Heat of jealousy pooled over him. 

'Rule no 101. You shall not allow yourself to be distracted in the course of duty' he said through gritted teeth.

'It's okay Lan Zhan. I can multitask...'

All of a sudden, something rushed through the air and was headed toward Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying spotted the foreign object immediately and reacted by leaping into air and blocking it with his own body. 

He caught the arrow neatly in his hands just as it was about to penetrate into his body. 

Running feet were heard at the top of the stairs. A boy of not more than 6 years old appeared while his mother was seen chasing after him from behind.

'Ah Yuan, you can't play out here'

She froze when she saw Lan Zhan and Wei Ying and quickly bowed and grabbed her child firmly by his shoulders.

'I am sorry your royal highness for the interruption. My son was practicing his bow and arrow' She apologised profusely and bowed a few times.

Lan Zhan was first to speak.

'It is quite alright and your boy has a good aim. He will make a fine archer one day'

'See, I told you I was paying attention and I can definitely multitask' he whispered into Lan Zhan's ear.

Lan Zhan turned to face him. His features showed genuine concern.

'You could have gotten yourself hurt. Stop fooling around and concentrate on your job'

'Aha, admit it, you do like me a little then?' Wei Ying beamed and placed a hand on Lan Zhan's shoulder before realising what he had done. 

There was awkward silence as Lan Zhan pondered over the word 'like' trying to decipher Wei Ying's meaning.

Wei Ying realising that his hand was still on Lan Zhan, removed it swiftly. He coughed a little to excuse himself over his behaviour.

Lan Zhan not wanting to complicate their situation went into the summer house and sat down on a cushion by a low table. 

He gestured Wei Ying to sit opposite him.

Wei Ying pointed a finger at himself just to confirm the request and Lan Zhan nodded.

'Teach me to flirt' Lan Zhan said out of the blue.

'What?' Wei Ying exclaimed.

'There is a princess arriving tomorrow and I need to do my best to impress her... with a view to... to woo her and ask for her hand in marriage'

Wei Ying let all the words settle in his head. He was completely speechless so Lan Zhan felt like it was best to continue talking though he was not accustomed in doing so.

'I have decided to fulfil my royal duties to marry a princess'

Wei Ying finally found his voice.

'Let me ask you something Lan Zhan. Do you know her well? Do you even love her?'

'Knowing and loving isn't part of the deal. This is a marriage of convinience, solely for political reasons'

'Does your heart not matter to you Lan Zhan?' Wei Ying couldn't have been more honest and what he said hit Lan Zhan's nerve.

'I don't believe you are in any position to tell me what to do' Lan Zhan snapped at him.

'Don't forget your place just because I've allowed you a degree of... to be more than...' Lan Zhan struggled to define their relationship.

What were they?

'Fine. I shall say no more' Wei Ying gave up not wanting to provoke Lan Zhan further.

He closed his eyes to calm his inner thoughts while Lan Zhan stole glances at him with longing eyes.

'Let's do a role play. I'm the princess and you're the prince'

Lan Zhan's eyes widened and he looked quizzically at Wei Ying, confusion written all over his face.

This made Wei Ying roll his eyes.

'For this to work, you have to pretend and treat me as if I'm her'

'Ok' Lan Zhan nodded with understanding.

'Tell me that I am beautiful'

'You're beautiful'

'That's too unromantic Lan Zhan! You need to say something like... your beauty is like the sun's crown of glory and the whole world is bathed in your golden glow'

Lan Zhan was certain he had never heard the phrase before in his entire life and had a feeling that Wei Ying made up all his flirtatious declarations. 

Nevertheless he repeated after Wei Ying who seemed to be extremely pleased with himself.

'You are one handsome prince' he mimicked a lovestruck princess.

'Thank you'

'No!' Wei Ying banged both hands on the table startling Lan Zhan.

'You should not agree nor should you deny her acclimation for you'

'Instead, you should reinforce and reassure her of her beauty. Say something like ... Not in comparison to your beauty my lovely princess, because you have succeeded in capturing my entire heart'

'If she likes you she will giggle and cover her face with her sleeves. When she does, you can then reach out to touch the edge of her sleeve like this'

Wei Ying reached his hand over to touch the end of Lan Zhan's sleeve. His action made Lan Zhan's heart beat race.

'Hold it until you see her bowing her head in acceptance then reach over and cover your hand over the top of her hand like this'

Wei Ying moved his hand and placed it over Lan Zhan's hand.

At the point of contact, Lan Zhan felt a jolt of electricity pass through his entire body.

His nerve ends started to tingle and he felt hot and bothered. His eyes started to drift down to feast on Wei Ying's lips. It took all his efforts not to lean forward and kiss him.

'Lan Zhan are you paying any attention?' Wei Ying took Lan Zhan's lack of response as not taking him seriously.

'Yes, I think I got it'

He broke physical contact by removing his hand from under Wei Ying's and started to stand.

'I'll retire to my chambers now. You are relieved of your duty for the rest of the day'

'Wait, is this another test?'

Wei Ying was driving Lan Zhan crazy with his disconnected line of thoughts and yet he was still magically drawn to him.

He sighed quietly and wished that Wei Ying could feel what his heart was feeling.

'I'm supposed to escort you safely back to your chamber according to rule no 105' Wei Ying winked at him.

'Fine' Lan Zhan nodded his head in approval.

They walked back to his chamber in dead silence. Lan Zhan couldn't wait to get inside his room so that he could be alone with his own thoughts.

The sooner the marriage is arranged, the sooner he would be able to release Wei Ying for his own good before his heart is completely chained to his bodyguard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. Send me lots of comments and kudos are definitely welcomed. 🌻🌻🌻


	5. The Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! I'm not sure what I have created for Chapter 5 but blame it on my brain. This has gone way beyond my initial plot! Good luck to me in writing Chapter 6! 😵

Wei Ying lingered outside Lan Zhan's room. 

The door had closed in his face before he could say what he wanted to say to Lan Zhan. 

He contemplated knocking on his door to resume their conversation but decided that it wasn't the right time.

An idea suddenly popped in his head. He smiled to himself and hurried down the hallway.

Lan Zhan was glad to be finally alone in his sanctuary. His bedchamber was the only place in the palace where he was able to let his guard down and be his true self.

Wei Ying's words came back to him. Does your heart not matter to you Lan Zhan?

Of course it does but I don't have a choice. He had wanted to tell Wei Ying about all his internal struggles and dilemma. 

How he envied Wei Ying's life as a commoner, being free spirited and not bound by royal rules.

The person who has his heart is not even aware of his feelings. What a loser he had been coupled with the fact that he was a complete failure at attracting even the opposite sex.

He removed his headband and his royal robe. What he needed was a hot bath to get rid of all the issues clouding his judgements.

He identified Wei Ying as his main source of distraction.

As he was making his way to the bathroom, something came hurling from outside the window and it landed hard on his bed. 

It was a round object wrapped in paper and brown string.

'Wei Ying! Stop messing around and don't make me go out there to hunt for you!'

He half expected Wei Ying to appear at the window with his wide smile to cheer him up.

There was only silence. He shook his head believing himself to be delirious.

He picked up the object and started unwrapping its content.

A gyroscope shaped black box was revealed. Lan Zhan stared at the object, stunned by its presence as recognition kicked in. His hands shook.

He had not seen the spherical box in a long while. The rare box was only used by the kingdom during war and is associated with bad omen and is often a harbinger of death. 

He worked the box to release its hidden compartment.

It opened with ease to reveal a piece of folded paper inside.

Lan Zhan removed it quickly from its slot and unfolded the paper.

Red words were untidily scribbled on the paper. Lan Zhan was sure they were written with blood.

You are unworthy!  
The crown is mine!  
I know you, but do you know me?  
How little holds your mind

Try to be king  
The worst is yet to come!  
Try to take the kingdom  
Death will be your only throne!

It was a threat on his life. Lan Zhan was too stunned such that he sat down on the bed, the need of a bath completely forgotten.

He needed to talk to his brother urgently and left with the piece of paper.

***

Wei Ying swung himself up on a tree and started climbing up the tree trunk. His target destination was Lan Zhan's window. 

He was surprised that Lan Zhan's light was still on but then again, he had learnt from the palace servants that Lan Zhan never sleeps in the dark.

He reached Lan Zhan's open window through a long branch and peeped inside.

Wei Ying sensed the void inside and an uneasy feeling came over him. 

Where is Lan Zhan? Panic rose inside of him as he climbed in quickly in search of him.

The bathroom and the adjoining study were both empty. He wouldn't have left unless it was an emergency. Was he kidnapped? He shook his head. He knew Lan Zhan was more than capable of defending himself even if he was attacked.

He noticed a strange looking black box on Lan Zhan's bed which was opened but empty inside. He picked it up and had a dejavu feeling.

He had seen this box somewhere but couldn't recall where. While he busied himself studying the box, he heard the door sliding open.

Caught off guard, he dropped the box back on the bed and slid behind a wooden partition next to the bed just as the door was opening.

From behind the latticed divider, he saw Lan Zhan closing the door. He wore a worried expression.

Lan Zhan had managed to talk to his brother about the threat he had received and both of them had agreed on a strategy to flush out the mystery person.

His eyes caught the box on his bed which was not where he had left it. 

His senses were on high alert as he realised there had been an intruder and started to move casually toward the bathroom acting as if nothing was out of norm.

Wei Ying waited until he was out of sight before tip toeing toward the open window. 

As he proceeded to climb out, placing one foot over the window, he heard a rush of air whisked by him as a glinter of light against steel flashed right before his eyes.

He instinctively ducked his head just as Lan Zhan's sword lodged itself firmly on the window panel above his head.

He stood up and turned around slowly to face Lan Zhan.

'What the hell are you doing?!'

Lan Zhan's eyes were blazed and his tone was nothing friendly which made Wei Ying regret his impulsive action.

'Checking on you' Wei Ying said matter of factly.

'Well the door is over there and I don't remember letting you in'

Wei Ying let out a nervous laugh.

'I didn't want you to know I was checking on you so I entered through the window. Isn't that what I should be doing as your bodyguard? Making sure you are safe at all times? In fact, I should be sleeping with you'

It took Wei Ying a few seconds to realise the context of what he had just said. Alarmed, he babbled to correct himself.

'I didn't mean sleeping together as in sleeping physically with you. I meant I should be guarding you while you sleep. What's with the box anyway?'

He skilfully manoeuvred the conversation away from his slip of tongue by focusing on the object of his curiosity.

'Nothing you need to worry about' Lan Zhan answered curtly.

'Come on Lan Zhan, don't you trust me? I am after all your bodyguard and I'm around you all day. Doesn't that count for me to be considered as your confidant?'

'We are not discussing this any further and that's final' Lan Zhan's mood was growing foul.

As expected, Wei Ying started to protest. Lan Zhan sighed and started disrobing right in front of him.

'What... what are you doing?' Confusion was plastered on Wei Ying's face.

'Taking my clothes off. You are welcome to watch and guard me if you think my life is in danger' Lan Zhan was mocking him now.

Maybe it was the stress of what he was experiencing or the fact that he did want to seduce Wei Ying that were making him say all those outrageous things. 

'Ahh... I best be going off then so that you can...' Wei Ying let his sentence hang as his eyes roamed all over Lan Zhan's exposed lean and taut torso. 

He swallowed hard and had to drag his eyes away from the beautiful body that was making something grow hard below his waist. His rod had stiffened and he had the audacity to imagine Lan Zhan doing him.

He practically fled out the window in great discomfort.

Lan Zhan didn't stop Wei Ying though he could easily have instructed him to stay. He looked down at himself and shook his head. By the speed in which Wei Ying had left, he was convinced that he was put off by his sight.

***

The princess arrived right on schedule and none could fault her beauty as she looked like a fairy goddess from a magic realm.

Even Wei Ying was dazed by her beauty.

She made her way shyly toward Lan Zhan and bowed.

'Please sit'

Her lady in waiting stood nearby as was expected of their custom and bowed.

'Prince Wanji of the Kingdom of Lan, may I present to you Princess Mei Lan from the northern Kingdom of Ni. She accepts your gracious hospitality and is willing to be courted by you'

Wei Ying rolled his eyes. He could never understand royal protocol such that even marriage proposals are formalised in front of a bunch of irrelevant people. 

He believed that love should be professed between two individuals without anyone's help.

'I am pleased to meet your acquaintance Princess' Lan Zhan spoke and looked side ways to Wei Ying who gave him the thumbs up.

'It is most delightful for me to see your beauty for myself and indeed you are even more beautiful than I have expected'

The Princess giggled clearly taken by Lan Zhan's charm.

Wei Ying turned his head toward Lan Zhan in shock. Where were the lines coming from? He had not taught Lan Zhan any of that.

Lan Zhan chose to ignore him.

'I would very much like you to be my queen if you would take my humble self to be your king'

Wei Ying's mouth was wide open now. He could not stop blinking his eyes as he waited for Lan Zhan to continue.

'You can take as much time as you need to consider this proposal so please don't feel as if you need to give me an answer now'

'Prince Wanji, you are not what I have expected or heard about. I am deeply surprised by your impeccable demeanor' the princess gushed.

'Would you like to take a walk in the palace grounds? The cherry blossoms are a sight to behold and their colours are like crimson sunsets'

Wei Ying couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even he would not be able to craft something so poetic! 

'I would love to and I don't think I need time to consider your proposal because I am willing to accept your...'

The princess never finished as Wei Ying jumped and shouted all of a sudden.

'Watch out! Spider! Big spider!'

A huge tarantula had appeared on the table, a trick that Wei Ying had mastered during his many attempts to distract traders while his people took off with stolen goods for the villagers.

If his intention was to scare off the princess, it was the prince whom he had succeeded to frighten instead. 

Lan Zhan became pale all of a sudden and found himself needing someone to lean on to. 

His body shifted toward Wei Ying like some kind of a magnetic pull and he clutched his arm tightly.

Wei Ying held on to him, putting one arm around Lan Zhan's waist and used his free hand to calm Lan Zhan by stroking his arm.

He looked at the princess and raised both his eyesbrows at her in a cheeky manner.

Her eyes were wide open as she took in the scene before her, looking at the two men embrace so intimately. She gasped when realisation hit her.

She got up immediately and exclaimed.

'I take back what I said. You two are an abomination!' She glared at Lan Zhan, turned around and marched toward the exit. Her lady in waiting bowed before running after her.

'Wait, Princess Mei Lan! I can explain!' Lan Zhan attempted to follow her but stopped himself in the hallway seeing that it was a useless pursuit.

Wei Ying bore a satisfied look on his face as he leaned his body against the doorway.

Lan Zhan turned around and reached him in two strides.

Before Wei Ying knew what was happening, he found himself grabbed roughly by strong arms and his back slammed into hard wall. 

Lan Zhan placed his hands against the wall on both sides trapping him in the middle.

'Why did you sabotage my plans?!' Lan Zhan lashed out.

'Lan Zhan! I'm only doing you a favour. I believe it's well within my scope of duty to protect you from yourself!' Wei Ying lost his temper for the first time.

'You have no business interfering with royal affairs!' Lan Zhan shouted back at him.

'Are you alluding to the fact that just because I'm not royalty, I am not good enough to give you sound advice?!' 

'Wei Ying, I am warning you. You are completely off the mark! In fact, I had intended to release you after the courtship which you had practically just ruined!'

'So you had plans all along to dispose me after you have secured your own gain. That's just great Lan Zhan. I didn't see that one coming!'

'What nonsense are you talking about?! I am doing that to give you back your freedom! Isn't that what you wanted? And you can pursue Mian Mian all I care?'

'You think I'm interested in Mian Mian???'

It wasn't clear who started first but arms were flailing about and limbs wrestled with limbs.

A loud cough caught their attention. They both stopped abruptly to see Lan Xichen looking at them.

Holding on to their positions, they waited for him to speak.

'I was wondering where the princess went?' Lan Xichen asked.

'She left' they replied in unison.

Lan Xichen smiled.

'Why are you smiling?' they asked simultaneously again.

Lan Xichen looked from his brother to Wei Ying and back to his brother again.

'You two clearly have SOME THINGS to work out amongst yourselves'

Lan Xichen seemed to have made them realise what a spectacle they were making of themselves such that they untangled their limbs in a hurry.

Before either of them could say anything intelligible, an explosion reverted throughout the palace shaking its structure such that the roof started to collapse where Lan Zhan stood.

Wei Ying was quick and pushed himself against Lan Zhan and they landed on the floor together, Wei Ying on top of him shielding him as debris crashed around them.

'Are you alright?'

Wei Ying's voice was strained with concern and his eyes held fear which did something to Lan Zhan's heart.

He nodded, aware of Wei Ying's body on top of his as he swallowed hard.

'Do you know what's happening?'

Lan Zhan nodded again and pulled out the piece of paper that he had kept from Wei Ying.

Wei Ying read it and looked back at Lan Zhan.

'Any idea who this mad man is?'

Lan Zhan shook his head.

Someone was shouting Wei Ying's name.

He stood and helped Lan Zhan to his feet just as Lan Xichen appeared with Lan Qiren.

Lan Qiren grabbed the front of Wei Ying's tunic causing his eyes to widen in terror.

'You listen here... and listen carefully to what I have to say!' He shook Wei Ying roughly.

Violence seemed to run in the Lan family.

'You are to keep Wanji safe no matter what and at all costs! You are his life support. Anything happens to him I'll go after you, even if you are buried six feet underground, I'll hunt down your ghost! You hear me?! Answer me!!!' Lan Qiren was frantic.

'Yes, yes Master Lan' Wei Ying forced out a reply.

Only then did he feel the hand relax and let go of him.

'Wei Ying, you take Wanji and I'll take Uncle Lan to safety. We'll look for you once things are safer. Go!'

Wei Ying didn't wait to be told twice and grabbed Lan Zhan's wrist.

'Is there a secret passage out of the palace?'

Lan Zhan nodded. He had not recovered from the shock yet and wasn't sure if the explosion or Wei Ying affected him more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments! Kudos! Thank you!


	6. The Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi fandom! Chapter 6 is finally done! Hope you like it. I also hope everyone is staying safe and spreading love! #onelove #wearemadetolove #youmatter

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying emerged from a lush vine covered cave by the hillside after escaping the palace attack through a hidden underground passage.

The still night was a stark contrast to the chaos at the palace. From where they stood, they could see bright flames licking the palace roof.

For some reason, Lan Zhan wasn't bothered as much as he should be. There had been a threat on his life and he had lost his home.

He let out a sigh.

'Are you okay?' Wei Ying asked with great concern.

'I am fine'

Wei Ying's gaze lingered on him, unsure if he believed Lan Zhan.

'Thank you' Lan Zhan uttered to reassure him that he was okay.

A smile formed automatically on Wei Ying's face.

Lan Zhan looked away. Now wasn't the right time to allow himself to be distracted by Wei Ying.

'If you can manage, we will need to head north for a few miles'

'What's out there?' Lan Zhan wanted to know.

'My home with Jiang Chen and Shijie'

Lan Zhan was surprised. He wasn't expecting Wei Ying to take him to his home.

'I don't wish to endanger your family'

'Well, you are out of luck if we are to keep you safe and under disguise. Not many commoners recognise you, so hiding amongst the people is your safest bet which makes my home the safest place for you since I am the one protecting you'

Lan Zhan understood the logic and didn't argue with Wei Ying.

Wei Ying looked across at Lan Zhan. He wanted to clear the air between them over their unfinished business.

'Look, I am sorry about Princess Mei Lan. When everything returns back to normal, I will seek a forum with her and explain what really happened. I am prepared to take responsibility of the situation and face whatever the consequence'

Wei Ying paused before continuing, choosing his words carefully.

'The spider was a trick I used to play on traders. I thought it would scare off the princess. I didn't expect you to...to...'

Wei Ying didn't know how to finish his sentence without embarrassing Lan Zhan.

'Anyway, you surprised me Lan Zhan' he decided to say instead.

'I am entomophobic' Lan Zhan declared quietly.

'There is nothing to be ashamed about that. Had I known, I would not have done what I did' Wei Ying answered sincerely.

'But I am curious about one thing though. Why did you ask me to teach you how to flirt when you were practically capable of wooing the princess on your own'

'I cheated'

Wei Ying gave Lan Zhan a puzzled look.

'I recited from a book I found in the library. It was one of my late father's collection on love stories and poetries'

Wei Ying blinked his eyes and then burst out laughing. He couldn't stop laughing until tears formed in his eyes.

He looked up at Lan Zhan, worried that he might rile him and set him off on a bad mood but was surprised to see him smile for the very first time.

He stopped laughing and savoured the smile.

'You look so much better when you smile. You should definitely smile more' 

Lan Zhan didn't realise he was smiling and stopped himself immediately by pretending to clear his throat.

Wei Ying saw that the smile was gone and his face was once again serious

'What will you say to your siblings?' Lan Zhan was curious to find out.

'The truth'

Wei Ying wanted to broach the subject that had caused them to create a scene at the palace. 

'Are you marrying the princess because of the threat?'

Lan Zhan remained quiet for awhile before answering him.

'Yes and no. I have to marry eventually to secure the throne and the kingdom but the threat just escalated the process'

'I promise to fix the situation for you Lan Zhan' Wei Ying finally understood the extent of what was at stake for Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan didn't reply but continued to walk in silence.

As they reached a farm house, Wei Ying pulled off some peasant clothes that were left to dry on the wash lines.

'Wei Ying, are you stealing again?'

'No I'm taking these as a service to my prince. You can buy them new clothes when you return to your palace'

He winked at Lan Zhan and gave him a friendly nudge, bumping their shoulders together.

Lan Zhan found himself pondering over what is right and what is wrong. Wei Ying had opened up a whole new perspective in the way he was seeing things from his angle.

***

'Wei Ying!' Shijie exclaimed when she saw her brother whom she did not expect to see.

Jiang Chen rushed out at the same time and was shocked to see the prince.

'Your royal highness' he bowed and gestured his sister to do the same.

'I am confused' Shijie looked to Wei Ying for an explanation.

'Shijie, it is not safe for Lan Zhan to be seen outside. Can we go inside? I'll explain everything'

'Of course, come in!'

The door was flung wide open and then closed and tightly bolted right after they entered the house.

After Wei Ying recounted the entire episode of what had occurred, Lan Zhan was ready to believe that he had the gift of a talented story teller.

He was also quick witted and annoyingly clever in the most unconventional way. 

'Your royal highness...' 

Before Shijie could continue, Lan Zhan addressed her.

'Please call me Lan Zhan. Consider me as your visitor and forget that I am a prince'

Shijie was torn between her loyalty for Lan Zhan and Lan Zhan's request.

'Shijie, you are protecting the prince by calling him Lan Zhan'

Through his simple reasoning, Wei Ying had once again succeeded in resolving what could have been an awkward situation. 

Jiang Chen had other worries on his mind.

'We don't have enough rooms in the house. Perhaps Wei Ying should move to my room so that you can have privacy your royal highness... I mean... Lan Zhan'

It was going to take some time getting used to calling the prince by his name.

'No way am I sleeping with you Jiang Chen! We'll be fine. I'll sleep on the floor and Lan Zhan can have my bed. Besides, I am suppose to protect him as his royal bodyguard'

Wei Ying drummed on his chest proudly with his fist.

Lan Zhan was quick to agree with Wei Ying.

'It would be best that I share the room with Wei Ying'

Jiang Chen gave in and Shijie looked pleased that everything was sorted out amicable. With Jiang Chen and Wei Ying, the two brothers seldom agree with one another and she had to act as a mediator which was often a draining experience. 

***

'Here Lan Zhan. You can have these two pillows and the blanket. I don't need them and I can sleep right down here next to the bed'

He found a cushion on a chair and made a make shift pillow from it. 

It had been a long night and he was dead tired. Yawning, he laid down and fell asleep almost immediately.

Lan Zhan didn't argue as he too was feeling the drain from their long walk. He prayed and hoped that his brother and uncle managed to get to their safety.

They had only slept for a few hours when Lan Zhan was awoken by a strange noise. 

The sound came from the floor beneath the bed where Wei Ying slept. 

Wei Ying was shivering in his sleep and his teeth were chattering non stop.

Despite Lan Zhan calling him many times, he did not wake up but continued to shiver in his sleep.

Lan Zhan got up and lifted his cold body from the floor and dragged him into bed with him.

He covered both of them with the blanket which was just wide enough to conceal them and wrapped his arms around Wei Ying to keep him warm.

After a few minutes, the chatter seemed to stop and Wei Ying began sleeping soundly.

***

Wei Ying opened his eyes to see a face right in front of him. It took him a moment to realise that he was in bed with Lan Zhan. Together.

He found his own leg wrapped around Lan Zhan's waist and his left hand was tugged under Lan Zhan's arm.

Not wanting to wake Lan Zhan, he tried to slide his hand out of Lan Zhan's embrace only to find Lan Zhan stirring from his sleep.

Eyes stared into eyes.

'Morning' Wei Ying said nervously.

'I am not sure how I ended up on the bed. I honestly don't remember climbing into bed with you'

Wei Ying said cautiously.

'You were freezing from the cold so I carried you up here to keep you warm' Lan Zhan's voice was so gentle.

'Did I put my leg around you?'

It was a stupid question.

'Yes, you had your leg and arm around me like I am some kind of a bolster'

Wei Ying had never shared his bed with anyone before and was appalled at his behaviour. 

'I... I...'

For the first time, he struggled to say something.

'Close your eyes' Lan Zhan said softly. It was a demand, not an option and Wei Ying found himself complying with the instruction.

He felt warm breath near his face and then, soft lips were pressed against his own.

Wei Ying's eyes shot open but he didn't pull away.

Lan Zhan deepened the kiss and he found himself reciprocating the same.

Lan Zhan's kiss became more urgent and Wei Ying suddenly panicked.

'Lan Zhan...' Wei Ying called out breaking the kiss.

'I wanted to do that a long time ago'

Lan Zhan moved to a sit up position, shifting his weight over Wei Ying, pinning him underneath.

'I want to do more'

Wei Ying's eyes were wide open.

'But... but... You have the Princess to think about...'

'I only want you'

Lan Zhan locked both hands on Wei Ying's wrists securing them firmly above his head and bent down to rain him with more kisses.

He moved his mouth lower and nuzzle against Wei Ying's neck.

Wei Ying let out a moan and let euphoria consume him.

He turned his head to one side in order to give Lan Zhan more access. His sight fell on an open book and his eyes widened in shock.

It was a kamasutra guide book and the page opened to a detailed account of art and techniques of love making between two males.

'Lan Zhan where did you get that?' Wei Ying asked between ragged breath.

'From under your pillow'

'Lan Zhan there's too many steps to follow...'

'Don't worry, I've read it carefully and don't forget, I have a photographic memory'

Lan Zhan started to pull up Wei Ying's tunic. He let his hand spread across Wei Ying's smooth bare chest. His fingers playfully teased his nipples.

Wei Ying gasped as Lan Zhan pinched them all of a sudden.

Lan Zhan's hands began moving south below his abdomen and found their way to Wei Ying's bulge which was already hard.

He slid the pants down and off Wei Ying's legs and proceeded to take his own pants off.

Both of them were naked below the waist and Lan Zhan positioned himself between Wei Ying's legs pushing them wide apart.

He wrapped his fingers around Wei Ying's erection and started to apply friction, sliding nice and slow up and down the entire length.

He watched Wei Ying cry out with pleasure and proceeded to speed up his movement. It didn't take long before beads of cum started forming at the head and Wei Ying moaned loudly as he came, spilling white liquid all over his stomach.

Lan Zhan could not wait to bury himself inside Wei Ying as he pulled Wei Ying closer and lifted his bottom. His spat on his fingers and started to massage the entrance to his ass, inching his fingers inside the tight hole.

Wei Ying dug his fingers into the mattress and struggled to maintain this sanity.

Lan Zhan's arousal was pushed against the stretched opening and he didn't hesitate to penetrate the tight space. Once inside, he started to pump slowly.

Wei Ying felt pain initially but gradually, pleasure filled him until he was writhing in ecstasy. Lan Zhan's body jerked as he thrusted quicker and deeper into Wei Ying making the bed shake violently.

Wei Ying was beginning to see stars from being fucked so hard that he was reaching orgasm fast from the prostate play. He came at the same time Lan Zhan climaxed and cummed inside of him. 

***

Shijie and Jiang Chen heard strange grunts and gasps coming from Wei Ying's room.

Jiang Chen wanted to find out if everything was ok but Shijie shook her head refraining him from knocking on the door.

When the two finally emerged from their room, Jiang Chen and Shijie were seated at the dining table.

'What happened in there? 'Jiang Cheng asked innocently chewing food in his mouth.

Lan Zhan looked at Wei Ying as if he had nothing to do with 'what happened in there'.

Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan who looked back at him innocently.

He shook his head and turned to face Jiang Chen.

'I cramped my muscles last night and Lan Zhan here... was super skilful at massaging out all my pain and ache and turned it into pleasurable bliss though I don't recommend that he tries it on you. You definitely won't like it'

Lan Zhan's ears had become red.

Wei Ying never ceased to amaze him by telling the truth in the most creative way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear from all of you! Don't forget to leave me kudos if you like my work so far! Thanks so much! ❤️


	7. The Village Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fandom!
> 
> I know it's been awhile since I last wrote the last chapter but life has been a little crazy at my end. 
> 
> Thank you for not giving up on me. I am exhilarated to see that I have over a thousand hits! Thank you so much for giving this fanfic a chance. 
> 
> So, here's Chapter 7 for all my faithful readers!

Wei Ying stared hard at the dark cylindrical box and then at Lan Zhan's threat note, looking for clues.

'Wei Ying, it's useless to flaunt your good looks over them because the answers are out there somewhere'

Wei Ying turned and gave Lan Zhan a bemused look.

'Are you admitting that I'm good looking?'

His smile lit up his entire face, making him look irresistible.

Lan Zhan nodded without answering. His heart instantly skipped a beat, reminding him how easily Wei Ying could disarm him.

Wei Ying got up and went over to where Lan Zhan stood.

He linked his hand around the back of Lan Zhan's neck as Lan Zhan circled his hands around his waist.

'I'm taking you to the village to see if anyone can help us with the box. You are going to love everyone there!'

Lan Zhan leaned in so that their foreheads touched.

'Perhaps we can have a misadventure along the way'

His hint was heavy with sex overtone and the way he looked into Wei Ying's eyes made blood rush all the way up Wei Ying's ears.

Wei Ying licked his lips innocently and Lan Zhan's mouth was instantly upon them, claiming them with hungry kisses.

They locked lips, slowly savouring and exploring the wet and warm taste of each other.

Time froze, capturing the flames of desire burning between the two hearts, as they beat feverishly with need.

The bedroom door burst open all of a sudden and Jiang Chen regretted the moment he saw the scene in front of him.

'I... knocked... twice... but there was no answer... so I thought... you two... umm ... I need my weapon...'

His words were incoherent due to the shock of discovering that his brother and the prince were in that sort of a relationship.

His eyes never left them as he hastily went to a low table to retrieve his whip and held it up for both of them to see as if he needed to show proof that he wasn't lying.

The couple didn't break contact, holding on to each others' embrace and acted indifferently toward Jiang Chen who wished he could submerge his head underwater to get rid of the disturbing mental image.

'I'll leave you two to...' He didn't finish his sentence and back tracked out of the room in a hurry and shut the door firmly behind him.

He closed his eyes firmly and swore silently.

His eyes suddenly popped wide open as his mind made the connection to the 'strange nosies' that he had heard coming from Wei Ying's room previously.

He clasped his hand over his mouth to keep himself from throwing up at the realisation of the kind of activity that had occurred behind closed doors.

Inside the room, Wei Ying was first to burst out laughing, hugging his stomach and Lan Zhan couldn't help smiling.

***

Wei Ying saddled up Sui Bian for their trip to the village while Lan Zhan stood watching him.

Sui Bian trotted a little closer to Lan Zhan and surprised him by licking his face.

'Aww... Sui Bian likes you. He must miss your Bichen'

At the mention of his horse, Lan Zhan became all protective.

'I don't think it's a good idea for them to be acquainted'

Wei Ying instantly covered Sui Bian's ears as if to prevent his horse from listening to something distasteful.

'Lan Zhan, you shouldn't say things that would hurt Sui Bian's feelings'

'They are horses Wei Ying, unlike us'

'Oh? But it is ok for you to fuck his master?'

'...'

Wei Ying held a hand over his ear and placed his head next to Sui Bian's mouth as if to hear his horse's response.

'Sui Bian said you can't mount him with me and you are going to have to walk all the way to the village since you were rude to him'

'But I am your prince!'

'Correction. You were a prince but now, you are just a commoner like me'

'But...'

'Come on, we don't have all day' 

Wei Ying motioned Sui Bian to move and refused to pay any more attention to Lan Zhan who had no choice but to follow behind them.

***

'Wei Ying darling! I miss you! Where have you been for the past few weeks?'

A pretty girl came forth to greet them as they entered the village. She gave Wei Ying a big hug and clung to him.

Lan Zhan became aware of other sweet voices coming from the direction of a crowd that was now forming around them.

Ladies in heavy make up and silk costumes were cozying up to Wei Ying as they showered him with great affection and love.

Lan Zhan was left standing on his own, completely ignored.

Lan Zhan felt irritation and annoyance building up inside him as he watched how much Wei Ying was enjoying the attention of the pleasure women. 

His mood became instantly dark when his eyes caught sight of smooth pale hands moving all over Wei Ying's arms and shoulders. 

When one of them started to rub the front of Wei Ying's chest, he decided he had enough.

Oblivious to Wei Ying, Lan Zhan walked off on his own.

Having succeeded in getting the ladies' attention, Wei Ying took out the black box and asked if any of them recognised the object to which all of them shook their heads.

He turned to Lan Zhan to say something but discovered that he was already gone.

His eyes searched the perimeter and they caught sight of Lan Zhan's figure at a distance just as he was turning a corner.

Wei Ying bid the ladies a quick goodbye and rushed to catch up with Lan Zhan.

'Lan Zhan, slow down... I need to make more enquiries'

'That didn't look anything like an enquiry. It looked more like a body search to me'

'What's the matter Lan Zhan?' asked a puzzled Wei Ying.

Was he still mad because he refused to give him a ride on Sui Bian?

Wei Ying's innocence was driving Lan Zhan to the point of frustration.

'Hand over the box. I'll take over enquiries from now on'

Wei Ying pouted but did as he was told.

They went to each stall, spoke to merchants, shopkeepers and sword makers, but no one claimed to have seen the box before.

They decided to make a last stop at a nearby inn before heading back.

'Master Wei Ying! When did you arrive?' An excited elderly man came round to serve them. 

Lan Zhan was beginning to get used to Wei Ying's popularity with the villagers. 

Everyone was acquainted with Wei Ying and not only did they know him, they all seemed to like him a lot.

'Is this your friend?' The guy turned to look at Lan Zhan with great curiosity.

'Yes, he is... he is my work partner!' Wei Ying decided on the most appropriate answer. 

Lan Zhan merely nodded in acknowledgement.

'Say, have you ever seen this before?' Wei Ying took the box from Lan Zhan and showed it to the man.

A fleeting look of fear crossed over the man's face.

'Do you recognise this?' Wei Ying pressed on.

The man seemed to hesitate for a long time before answering carefully.

'I can't be certain and I can't confirm but it looks like what the Lan royalty used to send urgent messages during the war, usually to deliver bad news but I have not seen it recently. Whoever gave you this is definitely connected to the royal family'

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan exchanged a silent look. 

'Thank you for your information. I am going to order my usual and can you please double the portion since my partner here is famished'

Lan Zhan looked in amazement at the spread of food and delicacies that covered their entire table.

'Are you going to eat everything?'

Wei Ying was already gobbling down pork wantons and was reaching for a bowl of chicken soup.

He nodded and talked with his mouth full.

'Lan Zhan, this place serves the best food in the village. You must try all the dishes because they are really authentic'

He picked up a piece of roasted poultry with his chopsticks and brought it up to Lan Zhan's mouth.

'Open your mouth Lan Zhan'

Lan Zhan obeyed and he felt Wei Ying push the food inside his mouth. It was delicious just as Wei Ying had claimed but his body was also tingling from a different sort of delicious feeling.

'It looks like we reached a dead end today. We have to figure something else.' Lan Zhan said to distract himself from Wei Ying.

'We may need to ask for Jiang Cheng's help' Wei Ying answered nonchalantly.

After the meal, they set off for home.

Wei Ying took pity on Lan Zhan this time and allowed him to climb up behind him on Sui Bian.

Going through the dense forest, the setting sun caused shadows to dance on tree tops. The effect dispersed light above them as if they were entering a magical world of nibiru, where only two of them existed.

Lan Zhan had his hand around Wei Ying's waist and was leaning his chin on one side of his shoulder. 

The gentle trotting and being so close to Wei Ying was making him feel aroused.

Wei Ying seemed to be pressing his back against Lan Zhan and the horse's movement was causing him to rub his ass up and down Lan Zhan's front.

'I want to drag you off the horse and make out with you right now...' Lan Zhan's voice had grown deep and his hot breath was spreading heat into Wei Ying's ear. 

Lan Zhan started to run his tongue over the side of Wei Ying's long neck.

Wei Ying moaned instantly at the pleasure.

'Lan Zhan, take me now... I need you inside me'

They both landed on the ground almost immediately and Lan Zhan swiftly tied Sui Bian to a tree branch.

He pushed Wei Ying's back roughly against a tree trunk and cupped his chin with one hand and started kissing him.

His tongue flicked and teased Wei Ying until he felt Wei Ying opening up, leaning into him, wanting and demanding for more.

Feeling satisfied, he broke their kiss and turned Wei Ying around so that his back was facing him.

'Get down on your knees and put your hands on the tree trunk'

Wei Ying did as he was told.

Lan Zhan removed his wrist band and used it to tie Wei Ying's hands to the tree trunk.

He lifted Wei Ying's clothes and pulled down his pants to reveal pale flesh. 

His hands squeezed the firm buttocks as he let his fingers explore the wedge in between and found the butthole between the two mounts.

His fingers worked the opening as Wei Ying started gasping wildly.

'Lan Zhan, I want your cock not your fingers' Wei Ying wiggled his hips as he tried to control waves of sexual urges washing over him.

'Patience...'

'Need you now... please... come inside me now... I beg you'

Lan Zhan exerted himself and pushed his rod right into Wei Ying's love hole.

Shock waves caused by Lan Zhan's penetration made Wei Ying cry out.

He began working on his rhythm, reaching deep, hitting the sensitive spot and making Wei Ying boil over with erotic sensation. 

Wei Ying felt like he was in paradise as Lan Zhan continued to pump him from behind.

Lan Zhan watched as Wei Ying's body arched backward helplessly as his moans came more frequently.

He had Wei Ying completely under his spell.

Then all of a sudden, he slowed down, stripping away the sweet sensation just as Wei Ying was reaching his peak.

Wei Ying protested loudly.

'Oh God, Lan Zhan, don't stop now... please' Wei Ying pushed himself down on Lan Zhan, trying to keep the momentum and chase his own orgasm.

'Are you smitten by any of the ladies back there?'

'What???'

'Are you?!'

'No... Lan Zhan... finish inside me...'

'Not until you promise me you will stop flirting with people whom you are not interested in'

'I promise, I promise'

'I'm holding you to your word Wei Ying. Don't let me catch you doing it again'

'I only want you Lan Zhan'

Satisfied, Lan Zhan began to pick up speed again and Wei Ying felt the wild sexual desire returning, driving him over the edge until he came.

Lan Zhan's came a second later and Wei Ying felt the surge of Lan Zhan's power inside him.

Lan Zhan collapsed on top of him as they caught their breath together.

Something moved in the nearby bushes and Lan Zhan caught sight of a passing shadow.

He signalled Wei Ying to stay quiet, while he got up to pull his pants on and went over quickly to investigate.

By the time he reached the thorn bush whoever had been there was already gone.

Were they being watched the entire time? An uneasy feeling came over Lan Zhan as he went back to untie Wei Ying. The sooner they got out of the woods the better it would be for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos if you like this chapter. Thank you so much for your continuous support and I appreciate and love you all!


	8. The Attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi fandom, 
> 
> I have written this chapter to include other characters in the story. I hope you like it.

Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren managed to find refuge with the help of Jin Guang Yao, a close confidant of Lan Xichen.

Jin Guang Yao whom Lan Xichen addressed fondly as Meng Yao had taken great pains in securing his and his uncle's safety, such that he was willing to risk hiding them under his own roof.

'Meng Yao, I am eternally grateful for your help. Uncle Lan and I are truly indebted to you'

'Lan Xichen, what are friends for. My only wish is to keep you and your uncle safe here. I also hope that you find your accommodations comfortable as my humble home is hardly a palace'

'Your hospitality and generosity are beyond my expectations Meng Yao. We both feel extremely safe and comfortable here. I just hope...' Lan Xichen sighed before continuing.

'I just hope Lan Zhan is okay'

'Why isn't he with you and your uncle?' Meng Yao asked.

'The attack on the palace caught us all by surprise. There was no time to plan plus we didn't have any choice but to go our separate ways as a precaution in case something should befall us if we were traveling together'

'That makes perfect sense Lan Xichen. The throne should be preserved at all cost. Have you heard from your brother yet?' Meng Yao asked with concern.

'We sent out trackers and I hope to hear some news about Lan Zhan soon. Deep down, I feel that he is safe because he is in good hands'

Lan Xichen was sure wherever they are that the combined wits and sword skills between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan would keep both of them safe. 

His gut feel lead him to believe that Wei Ying would be good for his brother.

'Then there's nothing to worry about Lan Xichen. Let's have tea together. I am getting thirsty from all our talk'

***

'What is it?' Wei Ying whispered as he quickly dressed himself.

Lan Zhan shook his head uneasily as he mounted Sui Bian and held out his hand for Wei Ying.

Wei Ying took his outstretched hand and let himself be hauled up onto Sui Bian.

'We should leave immediately and be prepared for a possible attack'

Wei Ying's mind was actively devising a strategy.

'Lan Zhan, there's only the two of us. If we run into any kind of trouble, you should take off and get help while I deal with whatever hostility that we are going to face'

Lan Zhan looked at Wei Ying. He wanted to tell him that he'd rather fight alongside him but knew that Wei Ying had taken oath to protect his life as his bodyguard. He was also reminded that his uncle had also made Wei Ying swore to guard him with his life.

Sui Bian galloped at high speed. The black stallion was in top form despite carrying the weight of two persons as it covered the distance steadily.

They emerged from the forest without any trouble and were making their way to the White Sage Lake when the unmistaken sound of pounding hooves on hard ground filled the air.

Wei Ying turned to look behind them and made out the silhouette of six horsemen giving chase.

'Lan Zhan, see that big rock ahead? Keep Sui Bian steady while I leap off to intercept them and create a diversion for us. Go back home and alert Jiang Chen' Wei Ying said swinging his legs over the side as he grabbed his sword and prepared to jump off his horse.

'Wei Ying...'

Wei Ying didn't hear what Lan Zhan said as he timed himself carefully and jumped. He rolled on the ground at the impact of landing before crouching quickly behind the rock.

Eyes closed, he trained his ears to listen to the approaching horses. Then he did the unthinkable, projecting his body high up into the air.

Everything happened fast. Wei Ying landed on the horse with insane precision knocking it's rider off balance while he grabbed hold of the horse's reigns and pulled hard. 

The horse felt the sudden tug and reacted in total confusion. 

It instinctively acted in aggression lifting its front hooves high up in the air attempting to throw all the weight off its back. 

It succeeded in throwing its master off while Wei Ying adjusted his legs to wrap tightly around the horse, pulling the reign harder to control it.

The agitated horse managed to create chaos, disrupting the other riders' formation which worked exactly as Wei Ying had planned.

The leader of the pack having fallen moments ago was back on his feet, sword drawn clearly pissed at what Wei Ying had done.

The other riders dismounted from their ride and formed a formidable circle around him, their swords unsheathed.

Wei Ying was itching for a fight. He had been training every day and was ready to unleash all his energy into the fight.

The leader attacked first and Wei Ying easily blocked his sudden blow.

'Hi guys, What's this all about? Is your master pissed at some missing gems?'

'We want to catch the Prince alive!'

'I am flattered that you could identify and recognise me despite my elaborate disguise' Wei Ying said pretending to be Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying moved around keeping his eyes focused on the slightest body movement of the group of attackers.

'Charge!' the impatient leader cried out suddenly and all six aimed their weapons at Wei Ying who instantly propelled his body upward toward the sky.

He landed on top of their blades where they criss crossed with each other much to their annoyance.

They pulled back their swords causing Wei Ying to loose balance and landed himself on the ground.

All at once, fierce attacks were launched simultaneously such that Wei Ying had to concentrate on countering each strike with speed and precision. 

Any miscalculation on his part could prove to be fatal. 

The fight was growing in intensity and pretty soon, Wei Ying knew that he would have to come up with an escape plan.

He hoped that Lan Zhan was able to reach home safely and send for back up.

Wei Ying had a few near misses as he continued to avoid the rush of blades coming from all directions. He refused to kill unless it was necessary for him to do so.

Out of nowhere, another figure emerged in the air and landed next to him just in time to prevent a sword from penetrating his back.

His eyes widened in shock. It was Lan Zhan. He was as relieved to see him as he was angry that he had not listened to his advice.

'What are you doing Wei Ying?! I told you to get help. Now isn't the time to play bodyguard' he hissed at Lan Zhan, signalling him with his eyes to play along with his game.

'Too much talking, fight and talk later!' Lan Zhan took his cue and answered as how he imagined Wei Ying would answer him in return.

The two of them pressed their backs against each other so that they could face their equal share of opponents.

'Surrender or we will be forced to kill you instead!' the gang leader began to threaten them with menace.

When neither of them moved, their attackers charged at them with deadly determination.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan worked seamlessly together, defending their positions with coordinated dexterity and timing as if their minds were connected as one.

Before long, their attackers fell one by one until only the gang leader was left standing.

Their swords criss crossed simultaneously at his neck as he kept very still to avoid a cut on his throat. 

'Whose order are you executing and why do you want to take the Prince captive?'

'I don't know anything. We were told to kidnap the Prince alive...'

'And yet you decided to kill me instead!' Wei Ying was purposely provoking the man.

'If the mission becomes impossible, we will not let anyone live to tell the tale. We would have made it look like an accident'

'Who is your master?' Lan Zhan demanded exerting more pressure on his sword against the man's neck. 

'We have never seen his face. Every time we meet, he wears a mask'

'Did you follow us through the forest?' Wei Ying asked.

'No. We were told to wait near the forest clearing and to pursue you once you emerge from the forest.'

'Where is your master now? Answer your prince or else I will not hesitate to punish you severely!' Wei Ying was beginning to enjoy pretending to be Prince Lan Zhan.

'He is waiting in a hut up north for us to bring you to him'

Wei Ying spoke to Lan Zhan.

'What do you think we should do? Should we tie him up and leave him here all night or should we ...'

Wei Ying never finished his sentence because an arrow shot through the air at the very moment and lodged itself right into the man's heart, killing him instantly.

Wei Ying reacted immediately by pulling Lan Zhan toward him and shoving him behind his back, using his body to act as a shield in case more arrows should sail through the air but none did.

Lan Zhan tugged at his arm and Wei Ying let himself be dragged to safety behind the huge rock that he had earlier hidden behind.

'Where's Sui Bian? Wei Ying asked suddenly worried.

'I hid him behind some thick vines tied to a tree. He's safe'

Wei Ying nodded his head in relief.

'Lan Zhan, you shouldn't have come back for me!'

Wei Ying lashed out at Lan Zhan. His anger stemmed from his fear for Lan Zhan's live.

'You were clearly outnumbered. There was no way you could handle all six of them'

'I had an escape strategy. I wanted some answers but clearly those guys were just puppets doing their master's bidding only to loose their lives'

He pointed to all the lifeless bodies on the ground.

'What if something happened to you?! I'm more afraid to deal with your scary uncle than this lot'

'Don't you value your own life?! How would your siblings feel if I brought your corpse home?'

What he really wanted to say was what would he do if he looses Wei Ying who clearly had no idea how much he meant to him.

'My siblings would have been proud that I was doing my job protecting you well. Don't forget you are still under my charge and I am going to do my job no matter what it takes!'

'It's late. Let's ride home and call it a day before the murderer shows up again. He clearly meant to take me alive but he will not hesitate to harm others'

Lan Zhan was exasperated that Wei Ying didn't catch his meaning.

'This isn't over. We will talk more in the morning. You need sleep and I need to keep watch over you. Jiang Cheng will take turns keeping watch with me'

'I don't need you to baby sit me...'

'I'm in charge of your safety and this is final' Wei Ying was adamant to have the last say and gave Lan Zhan a grim look. 

Lan Zhan sighed giving in to Wei Ying. All he could think of was to hold Wei Ying in his arms when they got back and then making senseless love to him but he knew there would be none of that tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of it and remember to leave me some kudos if you like the chapter. Thank you so much for all your support! ❤️


	9. The Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello YiZhan fandom!
> 
> Here is Chapter 9 albeit a shorter work. 
> 
> Did you all watch YiBo's Himalaya Love ad? The things he said seemed to fit Xiao Zhan's current situation. It has such a romantic feel to it! ❤️

Jiang Chen and Shijie listened to Wei Ying's account of what had happened.

'We need to beef up security Jiang Chen. You need to call for back up from the Jiang clan to protect Wanji. There's no telling where or when those people will strike next. We don't even know who's behind it. The person is definitely crafty and is always a few steps ahead of us'

Jiang Chen had not said a single word but his eyes kept moving back and forth between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. He was still puzzled about their relationship.

Wei Ying stared at his brother and squinted his eyes at him.

'What???' Wei Ying mouthed raising his eyebrows. 

Getting no response from his brother, he waved a hand in front of his face.

'Jiang Chen! Are you even listening to me?!'

Jiang Chen seemed to snap out of his thoughts as he smacked his brother's hand away.

'Yes! Yes! We are all in danger! I'm moving Shijie out of the house and sending her to her betrothed, Jin Zi Xuan. At least he will protect her well'

'Over my dead body! I am not letting Shijie go to that peacock!' Wei Ying objected angrily.

Shijie placed a gentle hand on Wei Ying's arm which immediately made him regret his outburst. 

It was hard for him to accept the fact that his sister was in love with Zi Xuan whom he dislike and would never accept as a friend let alone as his future brother-in-law.

'Ah Xian, I will be fine there. I will only be in the way here' Shijie said softly to him.

Wei Ying had no choice but to give in reluctantly. He made a face first before forcing a small smile for his sister's sake.

Lan Zhan took out the black box and put it on the table.

'I need help from your clan to find out if anyone has seen this box recently'

'Ohhh!!!' Shijie exclaimed and turned pale at the sight of the box. She balled her hands and brought them next to her heart as if the object was viewed as a great threat.

'Shijie' Wei Ying and Jiang Chen called out simultaneously in alarm.

Wei Ying reached out to hold her steady and she leaned into him for support.

'That thing... that thing... night of murder... murderers... they murdered...' Shijie was breathing heavily and her speech became incoherent.

'Who are you talking about?'

'Don't know, they... they murdered our parents, I saw the whole thing from where... where I was hiding...'

'Relax and breathe. We don't need to talk about this tonight' Lan Zhan took control of the situation seeing that Shijie was in great distraught.

Shijie nodded and seemed to be relieved that she was not required to talk further.

Wei Ying threw Lan Zhan an appreciative look. 

Jiang Chen helped Shijie up.

'I'll take Shijie to her room so that she can lie down and rest. I suggest you two do the same' 

Wei Ying nodded his head in agreement and knew they would need their sister to talk more in the morning. Things were getting extremely bizarre. Was their family connected to Lan Zhan's?

'Lan Zhan, you should sleep and I'll stay watch first. Jiang Chen can take over later'

'I am not tired so I'll stay watch with you'

'Suit yourself. The intense situation is making me crave for a drink. I'm having one and you can join me'

'I... I don't drink'

'Oh come on, just a little wine. I've never met anyone who doesn't drink!'

Lan Zhan was perplexed at the idea of drinking as he has low tolerance for wine but he didn't want to disappoint Wei Ying.

Wei Ying brought out the choice wine which he kept hidden under his bed. He poured both of them a cup and held one out for Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan downed it in one shot and gained Wei Ying's instant approval.

'That's it! You are a pro drinker after all' 

Wei Ying's laughter seemed to pluck at his heart strings as he felt heat rushing through his veins and his head began to swim in clouds of joy.

He felt free, high spirited and suddenly very bold.

'I like you Wei Ying! I've always liked you since we first met'

He began his confession.

'You certainly didn't like me the first time we met. I pissed you off remember, by stealing your things and your mother's jade bracelet?'

Wei Ying snorted, rubbing his fingers across his nose. Lan Zhan shook his head in denial.

'Liked you even back then' He poked a finger at Wei Ying's chest.

Wei Ying grabbed his hand but Lan Zhan snatched it out of his reach.

'You don't like me. You like Mian Mian'

Lan Zhan raised his voice a notch higher in irritation.

'Lan Zhan, of course I like you, why else would I let you do the things you did with me. I am not interested in Mian Mian and besides she is engaged'

'Engaged. You... like... me?' Drunk as Lan Zhan may be, he was still feeling insecure asking Wei Ying for confirmation.

'Yes, for as long as you want me. I'm at your service, well, at least until you decide to marry your princess'

Lan Zhan seemed to get upset all of a sudden. He got up and started to wobble. Wei Ying grabbed him just in time to steady him.

'Go away. I need sleep' Lan Zhan was back to his moody self.

'Ok but let me help put you to bed. Let's go'

'Let go, don't need you! I can walk by myself'

'Lan Zhan, you certainly can't walk straight. If I knew alcohol has such an effect on you I would not have asked you to drink with me. Don't resist me or else I will carry you over my shoulders and spank you!'

Lan Zhan seemed shocked at the notion and became obedient all of a sudden, letting Wei Ying lead him back to their room.

Wei Ying managed to put Lan Zhan into bed and removed his shoes from his feet.

Lan Zhan seemed to have knocked off the minute his head touched the pillow. His lips were moving slightly though as if he was whispering something.

Wei Ying put his ear close to his mouth to hear what he was saying.

'I love you Wei Ying... I love only you'

Wei Ying stared at Lan Zhan. It must be the alcohol talking. The Lan Zhan he knew would never say anything like it. He knew his place as a bodyguard and was sure their sexual attraction was only a temporary distraction for Lan Zhan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, drop me comments and don't forget to leave me kudos if you like this chapter 🌻🌻🌻


	10. The Missing Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Dragon Boat Festival Day fandom! Don't forget to eat your sweet or salty dumplings while reading Chapter 10! 🐉🛥️

'Shijie, take your time and don't force your mind to overthink. Just let the memories surface naturally. I'm here. We're all here. You can stop anytime you like'

Wei Ying held her hands and gave them a little squeeze to assure her that everything is okay.

Lan Zhan and Jiang Chen waited quietly for her to continue her account of the past which had everything to do with the present.

Shijie nodded and tried to relax. She took in a deep breath before bracing herself to talk about the traumatic past.

'It happened many years ago. I was awoken from my sleep by loud voices. I was curious, so I crept into the main hall and hid behind a broken wall panel to see what the commotion was about. I could only see a partial view of our parents and saw the back of a man and a young boy who was probably about Jiang Chen and Wei Ying's age at that time' Shijie hesitated and looked at Wei Ying.

'Shijie, you are doing fine. Take all the time you need' Wei Ying smiled at his sister to give her courage.

'It all happened so fast. The man said something to the boy and then gave him a dagger. The boy took the weapon and thrusted it into father. I was completely stunned by his action and could not believe what I saw. I heard mother gasp out loud and then she too was stabbed. It didn't seem real... A boy at that age could hardly cause the kind of harm that adults did but he was in fact the murderer. I tried to tell the authorities about it but no one believed me. Our parents didn't die from stab wounds. They died because the dagger was laced with poison'

Shijie produced the black box and put it on the table, tears flowing down her cheeks. Wei Ying laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

'This was on the floor next to father's open palm and I took it and have kept it all these years'

'May I?' Lan Zhan sought Shijie's permission to take the box from her.

Shijie nodded her head.

They watched as Lan Zhan's hands moved like auto work popping hidden panels and disabling the sphere's locking mechanism. A click was finally heard and the box was successfully opened.

As expected, Lan Zhan found a message inside the box which he took out to read immediately.

'Abandon the mission and flee. Your lives are in great danger' Lan Zhan read the message out loud.

The note was unsigned and it was assumed that the Jiang leader had received it from someone who was aware of their impending danger and wanted to warn him in advance. But who had sent it to him?

Lan Zhan stared at the message for a long time. Did his father send the message to the Jiang leader when he was king? If so, what mission was he talking about? Who is the murderer?

With so many questions left unanswered and no leads as to where to start, Lan Zhan felt as if he was losing hope.

Wei Ying wanted to reach out to Lan Zhan but thought twice against the idea of displaying any signs of PDA in front of his siblings.

'Shijie, what happened to Wei Ying and I?' Jiang Chen wanted to know.

'You two were asleep and thank goodness the killers left our home right after... I am sorry I kept this a secret from the two of you all these years. I wanted to protect both of you from the ugly truth. It is still too painful and hard for me to remember the incident let alone accept what had happened'

'Shijie, you did what was best for all of us and yet you were the one who suffered the most, bearing the burden of the truth. We have you to thank for looking after us all these years' Jiang Chen consoled his sister.

There was a knock on the main door. Wei Ying immediately got up to investigate.

He opened the door and an extremely well dressed gentleman stood there, looking high and mighty.

The damn peacock had arrived to take his sister away. Wei Ying was filled with immediate loath for the pompous Zi Xuan and glared at him.

He purposely stood setting his legs apart to block Zi Xuan's path at the entrance while crossing both arms over his chest with indignant.

'I've come for Yanli' Zi Xuan said matter of fact and proceeded to barge his way in.

Wei Ying stretched out one hand to stop him from taking another step.

'I expect you to look after my sister's well being. If you ever so much as to cause her to be sad or cry, mark my word, you'll have to deal with me and I can promise you, it's be the day you'll learn to regret'

'Wei Wuxian, are you seriously threatening me?!' Zi Xuan eyes were ablaze.

Wei Ying laughed at how easily he was able to get on the nerves of the peacock.

Zi Xuan took another step forward until their faces were literally touching. Wei Ying was unaffected by his action and stood his ground.

'Ahem...' Lan Zhan cleared his throat to shift the attention to himself seeing that the tensed situation could only end up in an ugly fight.

Zi Xuan recognised him and immediately bowed low in greeting.

'Your royal highness'

Lan Zhan acknowledged him in return and gave Wei Ying a  
warning look. Wei Ying made a face at him but decided not to cause any further trouble though he really felt like punching the annoying fellow in the face.

Shijie's face lit up the instance she saw Zi Xuan much to Wei Ying's annoyance. He could not comprehend what Shijie saw in him.

Jiang Chen helped Zi Xuan load Shijie's things into the awaiting carriage outside.

Shijie took the opportunity to have a quiet moment with Lan Zhan.

'Your royal highness. I hope your stay with us has been uneventful. I have never seen Wei Ying so happy since your arrival even though he may not realise this fact himself. My brother has a heart of gold and will always put the needs of others before himself such that he ends up neglecting his own happiness. Because of his nature, he is often oblivious to the fact that someone might actually like him for who he is. Please do not fault him for his innocence and ignorance. He's not doing it intentionally. He loves his family deeply and fiercely and I imagine he would do the same for the person whom he chooses to give his heart to'

Lan Zhan listened carefully to everything that Shijie had said. There were no metaphors to decipher, just plain facts which were extremely important to him.

'Thank you. I appreciate this talk. Please be safe on your journey until we meet again'

Shijie smiled and bowed to take her leave.

'Wei Ying and Jiang Chen, look after each other and Wei Ying, stay out of trouble'

'Why am I the troublesome one? Jiang Chen is definitely capable of mischief. Remember the last time we stole alcohol into Nie Huai Sang's room...'

Jiang Chen immediately clasped a hand over his brother's mouth to silence him.

'We do need to let Shijie get ahead on her long journey if she is to arrive safely at her new home by dusk'

'Look after each other ok' She said to both her brothers. 

'Shijie! If he bullies you, tell me and I'll bring you home immediately and make sure he pays for what he did to you'

That made Shijie giggle. She waved to them and got into the carriage with Zi Xuan.

Jiang Chen, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan watched until the carriage was out of sight. Jiang Chen then turned to Lan Zhan.

'Well, I'm going to head to the Jiang clan meeting now and see if I can find out more. Wei Ying will accompany you till I get back'

***

The house felt empty without Shijie and Wei Ying was already missing his sister.

He was left with Lan Zhan who was sitting at the table with the two black boxes and messages. He was deep in thought such that frowns lined his forehead.

Wei Ying thought some distractions might do Lan Zhan some good.

'Lan Zhan, you sure talked a lot when you're drunk'

Lan Zhan looked up at Wei Ying trying to hide his panic.

'What... what exactly did I say last night?'

'You said you loved me'

'...' 

Lan Zhan zoned out and had no idea how to answer Wei Ying who misread Lan Zhan's expression for disgust.

'Just kidding!' 

Wei Ying joked, embarrassed to even think there was any truth in Lan Zhan's drunk confession.

'You actually got angry with me because of Mian Mian, probably because you like her too'

'I don't like her. Why would I say that to you?' Lan Zhan didn't know what to believe. Did he really confess his feelings to Wei Ying?

'Wei Ying, when I am drunk, I end up telling the truth. Are you sure I didn't say anything... outrageous?' 

Wei Ying's eyes softened as he stared at Lan Zhan. His heart was fluttering. Was it even remotely possible for someone like Lan Zhan to fall for him?

Wei Ying didn't know what to think. Recently, he had been dealing with a foreign emotion that kept stirring in his heart.

'No, nothing that was shocking' Wei Ying replied, placing a hand behind his head as he laughed nervously. 

'Lan Zhan, let's go to the village for a meal before Jiang Chen comes back. Hopefully he has some news by then'

***

The hustle and bustle of the village's market place was a stark contrast to the tranquility and peaceful environment of the palace.

Lan Zhan was amazed at how the entire place could appear chaotic yet remain functional at the same time.

The noise level however was enough to give him a splitting headache and he wasn't sure if he wanted to go any further.

Wei Ying didn't seem to give Lan Zhan any time to think as he grabbed hold of his wrist and dragged him along.

There was so much to absorb just by casting a look in a random direction. 

The bargaining activities were the loudest as cunning vendors enticed customers to purchase overpriced products in order to maximise their profits.

The surrounding visuals were stimulating Lan Zhan's senses all at once, feeding him to a fusion of new experiences living amongst commoners.

Lan Zhan couldn't believe how much he missed out on such vivid and colourful lives and willed to change the palace's traditional practice of seclusion.

Lan Zhan let Wei Ying lead him through a maze of maddening crowd, his wrist still in Wei Ying's grip while being shown all kinds of gadgets and attractions that he had never seen in his life. 

It was an exhilarating moment and apart form the noise, he realised he could actually adapt to a commoner's life.

'Lan Zhan, wait here, I want to give you a surprise. Don't go away. I'll be right back!'

Before Lan Zhan could respond, Wei Ying skipped off into the throng of crowd and disappeared from his sight.

Lan Zhan continued to walk by himself down the street exploring his new environment.

Wei Ying seemed to have gone off much longer than expected and Lan Zhan wasn't sure if he should be worried.

Someone bumped into him and pushed a cloth pouch into his hand. When he looked up, the person had already disappeared into the sea of people.

He opened the pouch to find another black box. He quickly moved out of the crowd and found a quiet spot to open the box.

'If you care about the miserable life of your bodyguard or should I boldly say your 'lover', come alone to an abandoned warehouse by the hill'

The message was obviously written by the same person who had spied on them in the forest. Lan Zhan crunched the paper into a ball, anger seething through his entire body. 

He vowed that whoever kidnapped Wei Ying would pay dearly. He would never let anything bad happen to him.

***

Wei Ying went to his favourite dumpling store to order two dozens of the delicious meal. 

He asked for half to be cooked in chilly paste while the remaining half using original recipe. 

Lan Zhan didn't like his food spicy but Wei Ying found meals too bland without any chillies.

'How long will it take? I'm going to use the bathroom and will be back shortly'

When he entered the restroom, someone purposely locked the entrance into the restroom.

Wei Ying couldn't get out and started banging on the door, but his voice was drowned by loud chatters of patrons occupying the shop.

He looked around and found an open window near the ceiling and managed to squeeze his body through the narrow opening.

By the time Wei Ying got out, paid for the dumplings and rushed back to where he had left Lan Zhan, the Prince was nowhere to be found.

'Oh well, I can't blame him for losing patience. You lot better taste good otherwise I would need to tame a hurricane when I get home!' Wei Ying said to the bags of wanton.

He set for home but didn't find Lan Zhan there either.

'Don't tell me he became so angry that he decided not to come home' Wei Ying said scratching his head.

He was so glad when he heard footsteps outside and rushed to open the door. He wanted to hug him, needed to hug him and was dying to tell him something.

'Will you forgive me if I tell you that I... I...'

His eyes widened in shock as he saw Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren and an unknown man standing outside. All three of them had a puzzled look plastered on their faces.

'Sorry, I thought you were Lan Zhan' Wei Ying said sheepishly.

'It's good to see you Wei Ying. Is my brother with you?' Lan Xichen greeted him.

'Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren and you sir, welcome. Please come in. I lost Lan Zhan in the market place but am sure he will be back soon'

'What did you mean 'lost' him?! Did you say the market place?! Lan Zhan has never been exposed to such an unhealthy environment?! Why aren't you escorting him as his bodyguard?!' Uncle Lan didn't waste any time attacking Wei Ying with his stern and loud voice making him shrink with fear. 

He ran and hid behind Lan Xichen.

'I was with him the entire time and then I left him to get lunch. I was accidentally locked in the toilet and managed to climb out a high window. By the time I reached the place where I had left him, he was gone'

'What kind of a bodyguard are you?!!' Uncle Lan's feeble hands were shaking furiously as he pointed a finger at Wei Ying.

'You are lucky we are not at the palace. I would have ordered a hundred strokes on your back!'

Lan Xichen felt Wei Ying gripping his tunic and turned to face him.

'I am sure Wanji is fine. Besides, if he meets bad company, he has enough skills to defend himself. The market place acts as a good protection as it is impossible for anyone to launch an attack in broad day light in front of so many people'

Lan Qiren seemed to see the logic in Lan Xichen's reasoning and calmed down.

'Who is this if I may ask?'  
Wei Ying turned to the unidentified man who stood with poise.

'Wei Ying, meet my dear friend Meng Yao, who had been taking care of me and my uncle'

They exchanged salutations.

The man was very polite and Wei Ying noticed that his dressing indicated that he was some kind of an official.

'Please come in and rest while I go out to look for Lan Zhan. My brother Jiang Chen will be back anytime now'

Wei Ying bowed at the company and was glad to be out of Lan Qiren's sight. Lan Zhan's uncle has every right to be angry at him for losing Lan Zhan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear from all of you! Thank you so much for your kudos ❤️🙏


	11. The Enemy Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fandom!
> 
> This FF is wrapping up soon! I hope you like Chapter 11. Happy reading!

Wei Ying was all too glad to get away from the unexpected company, particularly Lan Qiren who disliked him from their first encounter. 

Lan Zhan's uncle was dead protective of his nephew and the future of the Lan kingdom.

Wei Ying wondered how his life would pan out without Lan Zhan. At some point in time, he knew they would need to part ways. 

Lan Zhan would eventually marry a princess and rule as king while Wei Ying imagined himself globetrotting in search of life's many adventures.

He felt a sudden pang of pain right in the center of his chest. As he brought his hand to touch the aching spot, out of the blue Lan Zhan's face invaded his thoughts. He welcomed the fuzzy feeling in his heart and smiled.

'Lan Zhan, let me have your company just a little longer before I let you go completely. Where the hell are you right now?'

Wei Ying had developed a habit of talking to himself whenever he was alone or in deep thought.

His best bet was to comb the perimeter of the market place hoping to find clues that would lead him to Lan Zhan. He figured that Lan Zhan wouldn't have gone far since he was on foot.

Wei Ying walked to where the horses were tied and noticed that Bichen was amongst the band of horses. Lan Xichen must have ridden him.

Coincidentally, Bichen was tied next to Sui Bian. Wei Ying could tell that they had not forgotten each other as they nuzzled up closely in an affectionate way. Sui Bian was resting his head on Bichen's neck.

Wei Ying shook his head as he approached the horses.

'Lan Zhan would definitely not approve this'

Wei Ying made an imaginary love sign with his hands framing the horses' face.

'In fact, he would most likely have a heart attack if he sees you two all lovey-dovey' Wei Ying waved a finger at them.

'But what he can't see won't hurt him' Wei Ying whispered into Bichen's ear with a cheeky smile.

'Now, listen up. Lan Zhan is missing and we are going to look for him. Sui Bian, I'm going to ride you and I'm bringing Bichen along so that Lan Zhan can ride him back when we find him eventually. Plus, you two can have more time together before ...'

Someone coughed. Wei Ying whirled himself around to see his brother leaning against a wooden structure.

'You gave me a fright Jiang Chen!'

'What ARE you doing?' His brother asked, folding his arms across his chest and looking at him as if he was crazy.

'I'm... taking the two horses out to search for Lan Zhan'

'You were talking to the horses as if they're humans'

'What's wrong with that?'

'...'

'By the way, Lan Xichen, Lan Zhan's scary uncle and their friend just arrived at our house. Did you manage to find anything important at the clan meeting?'

Jiang Chen shook his head.

'Nothing was amiss except for a case of a recent kidnapping. Apparently, a widow and her young son are missing. Their neighbours insisted that they were abducted though motives were unclear'

'What about the black box? Did anyone know anything about it?'

Jiang Chen shook his head again.

'What are you going to do Wei Ying?'

'Well, I'm going to find Lan Zhan and then we'll figure this mystery out together. I feel like we've overlooked something. I can't figure out what it is at the moment'

Jiang Chen looked at his brother, his expression grim and his eyes bore into him.

'I know that look. What now?' 

Wei Ying was altogether familiar with Jiang Chen's ever changing moods and demeanour. 'I have a burning question' look was now plastered on his brother's face.

'You and Lan Zhan... are you guys... you know... what are you guys?' 

Regardless of how awkward it was for Jiang Chen to ask Wei Ying such a controversial question, he couldn't help himself as he seriously wanted to know the nature of their relationship, particularly when he had accidentally walked into an intimate moment between them.

'He is a prince. I am a bandit' 

Wei Ying replied without answering his brother's question. Unsatisfied with the answer, Jiang Chen decided to press on.

'Do you have feelings for him? Do you two love each other?'

Wei Ying didn't expect his brother to ask such pointed questions, questions that he himself had no answers to.

'Look, I am his bodyguard. As soon as the mystery is solved, he'll go back to his palace and I'll be back home again. Beyond that, I don't have a crystal ball to gaze into the future. Besides, royalties and commoners don't mix like oil and water'

'Matters of the heart are delicate. You shouldn't play with fire Wei Ying'

Wei Ying let Jiang Chen's words sink in. He felt a pang of pain in his heart again but he refused to let his brother worry about him. 

'Jiang Chen, how long have you known me? I don't think you need to worry about the state of my heart. Other than a few harmless flings, I am the still the same Wei Ying'

'But do you feel anything for him?'

Wei Ying closed his eyes in frustration.

'Tell me, precisely what am I suppose to feel?'

'Happiness when you're around the person you love, a tendency to think about the person all the time, regardless of day or night, giving in to the person's wishes, sharing your things ...'

Wei Ying opened his eyes and stared hard at his brother. His eyes narrowed in hard concentration and then he suddenly had a light bulb moment.

'Hah! I think you're the one in love. Who's the girl? Tell me! Quick! What's her name? Tell me now'

Wei Ying managed to turn the tables around and the flushed look on his brother's face confirmed that he indeed had someone on his mind. 

Wei Ying teased Jiang Chen, nudging his brother's shoulder playfully and pestered him for answers.

Jiang Chen regretted his blunder and was well aware of Wei Ying's prowess in extracting information out of any person.

He decided that it was time for him to declare game over before his brother made him spill out his secrets.

***

Wei Ying mapped out and studied all the possible outbound routes from the market place and went with his instinct.

He chose to search for Lan Zhan along a beaten path that was flanked by the market place and some woods.

Wei Ying would occasionally shout out Lan Zhan's name hoping to hear his familiar voice only to be greeted by sound of frightened birds in flight mode.

Wei Ying rode Sui Bian while Bichen trailed behind them. He had been travelling for several hours and the sky was slowly turning crimson, signalling the arrival of dusk.

Wei Ying decided to stop for a little while for the sake of the horses and got off Sui Bian. He tied both horses to a low branch tree so that they were hidden from sight.

The thick grass soothed his sore bottom as he settled down to rest while his mind actively and methodically processed the series of events that had taken place.

Lan Zhan received the black box with a threat, after which his palace was set on fire forcing the royals to escape.

It seemed that whoever was behind the scheme was flushing Lan Zhan out into the open, away from the safety of his palace.

They were spied upon in the forest and then attacked in the clearing, which meant that someone was following them the entire time. 

Shijie's revelation of another black box added more puzzles to the already complex situation. What were the connections between Lan Zhan's family and his foster parents? Who was trying to take away Lan Zhan's throne and why?

Wei Ying wished Lan Zhan was around for him to share his thoughts.

Wei Ying could not shake off the feeling of familiarity as he racked his brain to recall where he had seen the black box yet his mind seemed to draw a blank. Had he seen something similar before? It was indeed mind boggling.

As he got up to leave, he heard the unmistaken sound of indistinct voices in a distant and stilled himself to listen.

The conversation sounded muffled so Wei Ying crept quietly behind a nearby bush with the intention to eavesdrop and get a better look. 

He could make out the dark silhouette of two men talking in low voices. 

One of the men handed a heavy pouch which Wei Ying suspected to contain money to the other man. The man bowed low after receiving the pouch and left immediately.

The other man waited for a few minutes before making his way back up the hill.

Wei Ying decided to follow him. He waited for the man to walk a fair distance before leaving his hiding place to follow him.

Wei Ying maintained a safe distance as he kept up pace with the man who walked fast, occasionally looking behind him as if afraid of being followed. 

Not long, a warehouse came into view and the man disappeared right into the building. 

Wei Ying scanned the surroundings to see if there was another way he could get inside the warehouse undetected. 

He noticed a huge acacia tree growing next to the warehouse. Its branches arched conveniently over the top of the warehouse which made it perfect for Wei Ying to gain access to the rooftop.

Wei Ying moved toward the tree and started to climb it. He balanced himself on a thick branch and then projected his body upward into the air and made a smooth landing on the gutter.

He hoped he had not made too much noise that would alert whoever was inside.

He moved swiftly along the stretch of gutters and stopped in front of a skylight panel. The weathered glass prevented him from seeing what was below. 

He unlatched the bolt that secured its opening and tried lifting it but the hinges wouldn't budge. He inserted the tip of his sword between the narrow gap and managed to pry it open. 

Waiting to make sure that he had not drawn any unwanted attention, he listened for sounds of footsteps. When he heard none, he leaned in and stuck his head inside the opening.

It was dim inside and his eyes took time to adjust to the darkened surrounding. When his vision finally focused, what he saw made his blood ran cold.

***

Lan Zhan found the warehouse by the hill just as the message said he would.

He only thought of Wei Ying. The fear that gripped his heart miraculously enabled him to reach the vicinity in half the time. He was sure his feet were covered in blisters as pain radiated from the sole of his feet as a result of severe friction but he paid no attention to the throbbing ache.

Lan Zhan unsheathed his sword and prepared for whatever he was going to encounter.

The entrance to the warehouse was wide open as if his arrival was expected.

He entered the dimly lit godown cautiously and looked around inside. Eerie silence seemed to deafen within its bare cavity. 

He moved forward carefully and stayed alert. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he caught sight of a figure standing stock still in the shadow.

'Identify yourself!' Lan Zhan brought his sword in front of him and readied himself for a surprise attack.

'Twin Jade of Lan, Hanguang Jun. How nice to finally meet you in person'

A cultured voice out greeted him from the realm of darkness.

'What a fool you are to actually come alone. I half expected you to call for reinforcements but I guess your heart ruled over your head. How sweet for your boy but how devastatingly sad for you when you meet your harrowing death'

Chilling laughter filled the entire space.

'Come out of the shadow and show yourself! What have you done to Wei Ying?!'

The man took his time and walked toward the only source of light beaming from the high roof and reached out to touch its golden ray.

He stepped into the ring of light revealing his person to Lan Zhan. His face was however hidden behind a mask.

Lan Zhan's eyes were bloodshot as anger ripped through his body.

'I am not asking you another time. Who are you? Identify yourself and tell me where Wei Ying is!'

'Patience Lan Zhan! I have seen your passion on display. There was so much intensity involved. How incredibly arousing it was for me to hear your lover cry out under your hot and wild love making. I wonder if he'll respond as loudly if I should subject him to the same act...'

Lan Zhan heard enough and charged forward like a provoked animal.

The man watched as Lan Zhan's sword drew nearer, aiming at the centre of his heart and calmly removed a dagger from his outfit and sliced a rope that was tied to a wooden beam next to him.

Lan Zhan never reached him as a hidden steel cage that was suspended from the ceiling came crashing down on cylindrical rollers and imprisoned him like a caged animal.

The man laughed again with great satisfaction.

'You are so easy to predict Lan Zhan. I am utterly disappointed in you. Relax, I have not sampled the goods yet... perhaps I could get you to watch'

Lan Zhan realised too late that he had let his emotions for Wei Ying cloud his better judgement. He would not make the same mistake twice.

'You obviously don't have Wei Ying in captivity. This is about you and me. Who are you?'

'I am the rightful king of the Lan kingdom! That's who I am and you unfortunately won't be around to witness my coronation'

'There is no other heir to the Lan kingdom other than me and my brother. You are an imposter and you will never ascend the throne'

Lan Zhan succeeded in taunting the man as he approached the cage in rage. The moment he was near enough, Lan Zhan reached out and tore his mask off.

The revelation of the face behind the shield shook his entire core being.

'You! Does my brother know you're behind this?'

'You shouldn't have done that Lan Zhan. You leave me no choice but to silence you'

The man produced a tiny vial from his pocket. He emptied its contents and blew the white powder right into Lan Zhan's face. 

Lan Zhan felt his world spinning as darkness consumed him, engulfing him until he finally blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think and send me kudos if you like my work! Love you all! ❤️


	12. The Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's past midnight where I am but I was determined to complete this chapter for all of you. So here it is!

Lan Zhan's lifeless body hung in mid air. His head was bowed low such that his chin pressed against his chest. His hands hung limp on both side of his body.

Wei Ying noticed that thick rope was fastened around his waist and his upper arms. Whoever did this made sure that he was completely immobilised even if he became conscious. 

Is he...? Wei Ying's heart pounded hard against his rib cage as fear gripped his core being. 

He was also feeling the side effects of blood rushing into his head as he hung upside down from the roof's opening. 

His chest heaved as he tried not to succumb to a state of panic. He searched for the one thing that would give him hope.

His eyes darted to Lan Zhan's chest as he searched desperately for any sign of movement. 

After a little while, he spotted the slight rising and falling of Lan Zhan's chest and sighed with great relief. Only then did he allow himself to relax and breathe naturally.

A sudden commotion was heard below which forced him to quickly retract his position. He swung his body upward and out of the space. 

He kept still as light flooded the entire warehouse. Multiple set of footsteps could be heard.

He shifted himself to gain a better view of what was happening down below when his eyes caught a massive circular structure.

He gasped as his eyes widened in shock at the image that was projected right in his line of vision.

Directly below Lan Zhan laid a bed of needles made of spikes of doom jutting upward in a ring formation.

A direct fall was a definite guarantee that the victim would suffer a slow and excruciating death.

Whoever the mad man was, he had methodically and painstakingly created an elaborate plan to eliminate Lan Zhan. 

Wei Ying had no doubt that the delirious man expected nothing short of success and was bent on causing Lan Zhan maximum harm even in death.

'Let me go!'

Wei Ying heard a high pitch voice reverberating within the confines of the warehouse. 

'It's high time for you to become a man. I am sorry I have to put you through this test but it is the only way you will ever learn to become strong and powerful like me'

Wei Ying saw a man dragging a boy and a woman into the warehouse. 

Their hands were bound in tight rope and the woman's mouth was gagged. The woman could be heard whimpering and crying but the man paid no attention to her as he continued to drag them toward a section of the warehouse which was out of Wei Ying's sight.

'Please don't hurt my mother! I'll do whatever you want me to do' 

The boy could be heard begging and his voice trembled with fear.

Wei Ying froze. He recalled what Jiang Chen had told him earlier about the kidnapping of a woman and son and presumed that he had found the missing persons.

He had to do something quickly to save them and Lan Zhan. He stood up and jumped right through the ceiling gap and landed right in front of the man, the boy and his mother.

The man turned around to face him. On seeing Wei Ying, the man smirked. 

'Meng Yao???'

Wei Ying felt his inside double over as the gruesome truth unfolded hitting him hard in the gut.

No one would have suspected a cultured and seemingly helpful party whose craftiness was skillfully eclipsed by his kindness and deceiving personality.

'Ah, how nice of you to drop in. I didn't plan to involve an insignificant stud like you but since you insisted in joining the party, very well, you can bear witness to what would be the most spectacular show of all time'

Meng Yao's eyes gleamed with evil excitement.

Wei Ying's hand was on his sword when Meng Yao sensed his movement and reacted by grabbing the boy and pressing his dagger at the base of the boy's throat.

'Not so fast bandit. Hand over your weapon or I will not hesitate to slice into his tender skin'

Wei Ying knew not to taunt him and did as he was told. He also took a few steps back.

From his periphery vision, he saw the woman leaning against a wooden pillar, thick rope fastened around her waist. He started to move slowly in her direction.

'Stop where you are and don't move'

Wei Ying complied. He looked up at Lan Zhan and noticed that he was still out cold. 

The structure that was tied to him was connected to the beam where the woman was tied to. Wei Ying studied the set up and realised that the two bodies were wired to a single switching mechanism. There were two arrow boards placed side by side which function as a launcher. 

There would only be one outcome, one sole survivor. Wei Ying's heart froze.

If the arrow hit Lan Zhan's board, the switch will trigger a cut to the rope that is attached to his weight and cause a downward fall right to his grave.

'Meng Yao, you are inhuman! Why are you doing this? What has Lan Zhan done to you that you would go to such lengths to kill him?'

'You don't have any right to speak to me as I am royalty. My existence has been kept from the world for far too long and it is time for me to claim what rightly belongs to me!'

'This is my son, my own flesh and blood and I am about to make him a man just like what my father had taught me when I was his age'

Wei Ying was beginning to make sense of the pieces of information that were falling into place like jigsaw puzzles.

'You murdered my foster family! You were that boy! You are crazy enough to make your son relive your sickening deeds! '

Evil laughter seemed to intoxify the air around them.

'Don't try anything foolish Wei Ying. I have a special device that will cause Lan Zhan to fall anytime. I will use it if I have to. Today marks the victory of my kingship. Sadly, it is not I who will kill the prince but my son'

'Ah Yuan, it's dead simple. You don't have to stab the prince. All you have to do is to merely hit the bull's eye with your arrow. One false move might cause you your mother's life so I suggest that you concentrate hard and aim accurately. It's that easy. Your first attempt failed at the palace and I'm giving you a second chance so make sure you don't waste it or else there would be consequences'

Wei Ying recalled the particular day. It was his first day as Lan Zhan's bodyguard. They were making their way to the summer house when an arrow came out of nowhere from the palace ground aimed at Lan Zhan. 

He managed to intercept it just in time. It turned out that the kid had been the same boy who tried to shoot the arrow at Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying went to the boy and spoke in a low voice.

'Don't be afraid. I know you love your mother very much. I on the other hand love the prince. I am going to ask you to do a very difficult thing, something that you would not like but I want you to act bravely. I want you to aim at your mother's board instead of the prince's. I promise you, I will shield her using my body. When you shoot the arrow, I will appear right in front of her so that no harm would come to her. Can you do that and trust me?'

'But then... you will die'

Wei Ying placed both his hands on the boy's shoulder and smiled.

'Don't you worry about me'

'Wei Ying, are you begging in front of a child?! How much lower can you be as a commoner! You should be ashamed of yourself! Enough time is wasted. Ah Yuan, get into position. I will not tolerate another failure. Shoot now!'

Meng Yao roared at the child who immediately obeyed picking up his bow and arrow.

Wei Ying prayed that his plan would work as he readied himself to act.

Lan Zhan began to stir. He opened his eyes slowly and waited for the haziness to fade. His feet couldn't feel the ground below him. As his vision returned he realised he was hoisted high up in the air.

He saw Wei Ying first and then what laid below him. He was immediately aware of the grave situation as his mind worked out the bizarre circumstance and what was about to happen.

The arrow was released and it sped towards its destination. Wei Ying's plan had worked. His own body was already in motion as he dashed forward toward the boy's mother.

'WEI YING!!! NO!!!'

Lan Zhan's chilling shriek seemed to shake the entire structure of the warehouse.

Wei Ying heard him and wondered if those were the last words he would ever hear in his life. 

He reached the woman and shielded her with his body just as the arrow found its target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, that's 2 cliffhangers in a row! 🤣 I just can't help myself. There's probably only two chapters to go tops! Hang in there! You'll like the ending, I promise! 😎


	13. The Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left to go! Enjoy the FF while it lasts! 😉

Lan Zhan, I love you no matter what happens...

Wei Ying played the speech silently in his own head.

The extremities had forced Wei Ying to make the only choice he knew would save Lan Zhan's life. He was willing to sacrifice his own life to protect the person he cares and loves at all costs.

There was no time for Wei Ying to respond to Lan Zhan except to react. He hoped that Lan Zhan would forgive him for his irrational action.

The arrow head buried itself deep into the board as Wei Ying's body shielded the woman from whatever perils that would come their way.

Almost immediately, a spear shot its ugly head from behind the board and sped toward them.

Wei Ying had no weapon on him since his sword was left on the floor. It would only be seconds before the spear found its target.

His body seemed to make up his mind for him, forcing him to move every fibre of his leg muscles to meet the charging force.

His lithe body propelled him upward at light speed as his limb came into contact with the hostility, knocking it off course.

The spear found a different target and lodged itself against the wooden beam just above their heads.

As a result of the trigger, the switching mechanism activated the rotary motor which began to move. The series of ropes connected to Lan Zhan started releasing its weight and Lan Zhan felt himself being lowered slowly.

The pulley stopped momentarily and then shifted Lan Zhan to the side, away from the valley of death before lowering him completely to the safety of the ground.

'You fool of a boy!!! What have you done?!!!' Meng Yao roared as he watched Lan Zhan being lowered to the ground.

The device he held in his hands was of no use now since Lan Zhan was outside the danger zone.

He grabbed the boy and gripped his arm forcefully. He removed a dagger from his tunic and thrusted it in the boy's open palm.

'I thought I made it easy for you to redeem yourself but all you have been is a big disappointment. You have no choice now but to do this the hard way. You have to stab the prince just as I did to all those people who got in the way in the past'

'Ah Yuan, do you not want to see your father as king? Do you not want that future for yourself after I am gone?'

The boy stood frozen, his hand gripping the dagger until his knuckles turned blue.

Wei Ying made sure the woman was okay before getting up quickly on his feet and rushing over to Lan Zhan.

'Stay back bandit unless you have a death wish too' Meng Yao's piercing eyes met his. 

'You forget I am unarmed' Wei Ying raised both his arms in the air. He wanted Meng Yao to think that he had surrendered.

'Shut the hell up and stay where you are!' barked Meng Yao who was sure Wei Ying had some tricks up his sleeves.

Meng Yao turned his attention back to Ah Yuan and then looked across at Lan Zhan who was standing wobbly, clearly still weak from inhaling the powdered drug. He plopped down and landed on his knees feeling disoriented.

'Lan Zhan!' Wei Ying exclaimed.

'I'm fine. Stay where you are' Lan Zhan didn't want Wei Ying to be in any form of danger. Meng Yao was not a person to be underestimated.

'Enough of these touching scenes! Ah Yuan, stick the dagger into the prince now and get this over and done with! Do it now!!!' Meng Yao commanded his son to do his dirty bidding.

The boy's expression was unreadable and he didn't even flinch when his father issued the command loudly.

His vacant eyes stared into Lan Zhan's calm pupils before they shifted onto his father's face.

His hand which held the dagger thrusted forward with incredible force and the weapon succeeded in penetrating the body part. A horrible gasp escaped from the victim as the end of the dagger dug into flesh.

Meng Yao staggered backward clutching his stomach as the weapon's handle protruded out from its buried part. 

He looked at the boy, his eyes murderous as the poison that laced the dagger began to seep into his blood stream branching out into various parts of his body.

Meng Yao fell down instantly to the floor. He noticed a steel rod on the floor next to him and with all his might picked it up and lurched forward attempting to jam it into the boy's body.

Wei Ying had anticipated his movement in advance and was quick to pry the rod out of Meng Yao's unsteady arm.

'Go attend to your mother. Your father will not be causing you any more harm'  
Without taking his eyes off Meng Yao, Wei Ying gestured to Ah Yuan.

'You did this to yourself Meng Yao. You only have yourself to blame'

'I have underestimated you' Meng Yao's breath became swallow from over exertion.

Wei Ying tied Meng Yao's hands together just in case he should attempt to cause more harm.

Wei Ying went straight to Lan Zhan and helped him stand up.

'I love you Lan Zhan!' Wei Ying uttered out loud while loosening the thick rope that bound Lan Zhan.

The second Lan Zhan was freed, he hit Wei Ying hard on his arms.

His action momentarily stunned Wei Ying who persisted with his heart declaration.

'I said I love you Lan Zhan!'

He received a similar smack on the other arm.

Rubbing both spots, Wei Ying was feeling confused and was loosing his self confidence.

He whispered this time.

'I honestly love you Lan Zhan'

Lan Zhan's heart was beating loudly as he stared at Wei Ying for a few more seconds longer before shocking him by drawing him into his arms and hugging him tightly.

He spoke into Wei Ying's ear.

'Don't you ever dare put your life at risk again!'

'But... but... I am your bodyguard, that's what I am suppose to do... to protect you'

'You were willing to sacrifice your life without telling me your heart's desire! You are more than just my bodyguard Wei Ying. You are the love of my life. The ONLY love in my life. So don't you ever do anything so reckless again or else I will not hesitate to personally administer your punishments'

'What... what kind of punishment do you have in mind Lan Zhan?' Wei Ying asked innocently.

'The kind that your body needs, to be taught a lesson and be tamed by me'

Wei Ying knew exactly what Lan Zhan meant which had nothing to do with physical pain but a different kind of torture. He swallowed hard at the realisation what was in store for him.

'Pathetic lovers. Lan Zhan, you just wait until your uncle arrives which is soon. From what I gather, you two can never be together. Such a tragic love affair'

'I think you should save your last breath for something more meaningful than poking into other people's lives'

There was a commotion outside and Lan Xichen appeared with Lan Qiren, Jiang Chen and some palace guards.

The instance Wei Ying saw Lan Qiren, he broke free from Lan Zhan's embrace and distanced himself.

Lan Zhan however reached over to Wei Ying and held his wrist firmly in his hand.

Wei Ying shook his head warning him of his uncle's terrible temper but Lan Zhan refused to let go.

Wei Ying started to protest.

'Lan Zhan, don't put yourself in the way of your uncle's wrath. His punishments are too severe. It's not worth it and I can't bear to see you beaten.'

'I am determined never to let you go Wei Ying. My uncle is my business. I'll deal with him personally. Just don't ever leave me again Wei Ying'

Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan with dreamy eyes. His prince truly loves him. 

'Lan Zhan, you are ok' Lan Xichen was too happy and relieved to see his brother.

'Yes brother. I have Wei Ying to thank for. He saved my life, not only mine but the lives of the woman and her son'

Lan Xichen's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Meng Yao lying on the floor. His lower body had already succumbed to the effect of the poison and pretty soon, the poison would reach his heart.

'It was you all this while??? But why???' There was great pain in Lan Xichen's voice as he spoke and he felt like his heart was tearing apart.

'Dearest cousin, you were my favourite. I could not reveal to you my identity until I got rid of your brother but apparently his boyfriend here, a trouble maker had somehow managed to cause my plans to go awry'

'Cousin??? You and I are definitely not related...Who are you?' Lan Xichen drew his sword and placed the blade next to Meng Yao's neck.

'Brother, he is dying from his own poisoned dagger, let him speak his last words' Lan Zhan reasoned with his brother.

Only then did Lan Xichen withdrew his sword.

'I am the son of Lan Liuwei whose brother is your father Lan Qingheng and your uncle Lan Qiren'

Lan Qiren seemed to recoil on hearing the name Lan Liuwei which was a taboo in the Lan kingdom.

He marched over to where Meng Yao laid.

'Lan Liuwei had never been mentioned in the family. He is an outcast and had died in an accident with my brother Qingheng and his wife'

'That was what he wanted everyone to believe. Father was a great deception artist. He managed to cause the death of his own brother the king and succeeded in staying hidden to prepare to take over the Lan kingdom but unfortunately a rare disease claimed his life a few years after the staged accident. His death was not futile as I continued his legacy. 

It helped greatly that you oppose the arrangement between the king and the Jiang family. I was so close to achieving my goal and was planning on planting the entire blame of Lan Zhan's death on Wei Ying and emerge as an innocent party' 

'Uncle, please tell us the truth' Lan Xichen turned to his uncle, frowns forming across his forehead.

Lan Qiren sighed. He looked at Wei Ying hard which made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He tugged his hand free from Lan Zhan's grasp only to find it back in his hold. They were surely doomed to receive more than a hundred strokes of punishment.

Instead of throwing his regular tantrum or threatening Wei Ying, Lan Qiren chose to walk toward a makeshift stool and sat down.

He motioned Lan Zhan over to him.

Lan Zhan obeyed and dragged a reluctant Wei Ying along with him.

'Sit before me' Lan Qiren commanded.

Lan Zhan knelt down first and gestured Wei Ying to do the same.

'Lan Xichen, come and stand next to me' Lan Qiren said to his nephew.

Lan XiChen left Meng Yao's side and stood next to his uncle.

'It's time for you to know your background history'

'Your father was the oldest Lan amongst 3 sons and naturally he was crowned king. Liuwei was our second brother but he had a dark heart and was an ambitious man. I was the youngest of the brothers.

The kingdom had a spiritual adviser who told your father the king that the fate of the kingdom's future growth and prosperity fell on the youngest child and that he should be made king. There was a condition precedent attached where the king had to agree to an arranged marriage between his youngest son with the child of a commoner's family. This is where the Jiang family comes in.

The Jiang family were highly respected and the leader was a close confidant of the king. The wiseman was very specific as he mentioned that the Jiang child was not from their blood line. This fact came as a surprise to the Jiang leader as he in fact had adopted a child at the time he was told of the arrangements. The only problem was that the child was a boy. You were that child Wei Ying!'

Wei Ying shrank back as Lan Qiren raised his voice at him.

Lan Qiren was visibly shaken and had to stop to compose himself before continuing.

Lan Xichen placed a hand on his uncle's shoulders to calm him down. Lan Zhan's fingers were still wrapped around Wei Ying's wrist as if none of the news perturbed him.

'But your father was adamant in fulfilling this so called prophecy and continued the liaison with the Jiang family despite my violent objections. Our brother had always been ambitious and power crazy. He was in the accident with your father and mother but we didn't find his body presumably that he fell deeper into the recess of the cliff that was not accessible.

So after your parents' death, I took both of you under my charge and forbid anyone who knew about the incident and prophecy to ever talk about it. That was the reason why I had been trying hard to arrange the marriage for Wanji. Yet fate had brought the two of you together despite all odds. I give up. I can't fight what is meant to be so you two have my blessings though I personally cannot accept this arrangement'

Wei Ying's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Lan Zhan was first to bow down in gratitude.

'Wait, you no longer hate me, you won't punish us...'

'Wei Ying' Lan Zhan gave him a stern look and signalled for him to bow.

'Oh...' Wei Ying obeyed and bowed prostrate.

'Rise, indeed you have my blessings even though it will take me a lifetime to accept this truth. Wei Ying, I'm only doing this because you managed to save Wanji but it does not mean that I will not find out the kind of mischief you are up to and mark my words I will find out about every single thing that you do! Is that clear?!' Lan Qiren was back to his old self.

'Yes Your highness...'

Lan Zhan did an unexpected thing. He pulled Wei Ying into his arms and kissed him on the lips in front of everyone much to his uncle's disgust.

'I am glad that we got that cleared up. You belong to me now and I'm going to take care of you. You are no longer my bodyguard but my betrothed'

Wei Ying was too stunned to say anything and was recovering from Lan Zhan's extremely sensual kiss.

Lan Xichen smiled approvingly at his brother.  
Jiang Cheng came round and smacked his brother on his back. 

'Congratulations brother! Shijie would be thrilled!'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love your comments and kudos. Please do send me feedbacks and I appreciate all your support 🙏 also check out my short FF work on YiZhan, the latest is Dreams and Gifts. Love you all ❣️
> 
> P/s My apologies for the grammatical and spelling errors. I was focused on the story writing... 🙈


	14. The Final Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!
> 
> I am so sorry I had been away for so long due to work commitments. Here is the long awaited final chapter. 
> 
> Happy reading!

'Lan Xichen...'

The voice was so faint it could barely be heard yet it carried the full force of aching desperation matching a set of wild and delirious eyes.

The voice belonged to Meng Yao whose body laid immobilised on the ground.

He willed his hands to reach up but could no longer feel his limbs.

Lan Zhan should be consumed by anger and filled with vindictiveness for Meng Yao yet he was overcome with compassion even though the mad man had tried to kill him.

He gestured at his hesitant brother who contemplated before walking slowly over to the dying man.

Lan Xichen stood over Meng Yao. Feeling of aghast still filled him on discovering the true nature of Meng Yao.

However, the unbearable sight of the helpless man waiting for his time moved him, seeing that death was already choking the life out of him.

Meng Yao's eyes seemed to relax on seeing Lan Xichen. A tiny smile stretched across his extremely thin lips.

Lan Xichen felt as though his soul had been ripped apart by his friend's betrayal and deceitfulness.

Nevertheless, he stoop down and brought his ear next the man's quivering mouth.

'Lan Xichen, I am sorry it has to end like this. I am sorry I set fire to the palace but I am NOT sorry for wanting and attempting to kill your brother... my lineage must continue... my son must be king... promise... me... Lan Xichen... despite what I have done, you owe me over the years for my loyalty, servitude and friendship... promise me... promise... me  
..'

There would be no other words to be mouthed ever again as Meng Yao's body stiffened and then stilled. His body was finally given over to Hades as he breathed his last.

Lan Xichen saw in disbelief as the life he thought he once knew snuffed out right in front of his very eyes. He stared blankly at the empty shell and noticed that his eyes were still wide open.

He reached out and palmed his hand over Meng Yao's eyes and closed them shut forever. 

He straightened himself but remained in a crouched position, too stunned to move another inch. His heart was greatly conflicted. He had so many questions which would never be answered as they lay buried with the dead.

He felt his brother's presence near him and decided to rise from his position.

'He has departed. There's no use pondering over what can't be helped or fixed' Lan Zhan seemed to read his brother's thoughts.

Lan Xichen looked sadly across at the boy and his mother who were still in tight embrace.

'We need to decide what to do with them. Whether we like it or not, the boy is our blood relation'

Lan Zhan merely nodded.

Some palace guards appeared bringing with them a rather distinguished looking old man.

'This man says he is looking for master Wei Wuxian and insisted that the matter was urgent'

Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen looked at the man who was dressed in an official robe sporting a long beard.

The man bowed low as was required of their customs and proceeded to address them.

'I am an emissary on a special mission to find master Wei Wuxian. This is a matter of grave importance for our kingdom'

'I am Wei Wuxian' 

Wei Ying walked over to where the three gentlemen stood. He was curious to find out who the man was and why he was sent to look for him.

He hoped it had nothing to do with his heydays where he used to organise targeted robberies on unsuspecting rich merchants who had stolen from the people. 

He felt his actions were justified as he was returning the favour by stealing back goods that were looted by these criminals on behalf of the villagers.

The man retrieved an object from his pocket and held it up for Wei Ying to see. It was a red trinket and looked oddly familiar to him.

'My good sir, I would need to check for proof first if you claimed to be the man I am looking for. If you are indeed master Wei Wuxian, then you would have in your possession the other half of this object as it was tied to your ankle when you were little'

Looking at the object for a few seconds longer, something clicked inside Wei Ying's head. 

Without any explanation, Wei Ying suddenly rushed outside and headed for the stable.

Lan Zhan followed right behind him as he silently vowed never to let Wei Ying out of his sight particularly after their life threatening ordeal.

As they reached the stable, Lan Zhan grabbed Wei Ying's wrist to slow him down.

'What is it bao bao?' Lan Zhan spoke.

What Wei Ying heard made him stop in his track.

'What... what did you call me?'

'Bao Boa... precious love of my life' Lan Zhan professed, letting his confession roll from his tongue. 

For the first time in his life, he spoke from the bottom of his heart without holding anything back.

Wei Ying blinked his eyes in rapid succession. The Lan Zhan he knew was always wrapped up tight but this new Lan Zhan was refreshing and he decided he liked him much more.

He let those sweet words pull on his heart strings and trembled with anticipation.

Lan Zhan's hand cupped Wei Ying's chin as his gaze bore down on his lips. He tilted Wei Ying's head gently to one side and leaned his own face in until their lips touched.

Lan Zhan savoured the mouth that he thought he would never get to taste again. His tongue was wild and demanding, forcing Wei Ying's lips to part. 

He didn't need to wait long for a response from Wei Ying who welcomed his wet invasion.

Desire pooled below Wei Ying's waist as his eyes were lit with flames of aching need. He could not help as a guttural moan escaped from his throat .

Wei Ying locked his hands urgently behind Lan Zhan's neck and pressed their heads together to deepen their kiss. 

It was always that easy for Lan Zhan to arouse him.

'I don't know what came over you but I like the new you and I want you to plough me Lan Zhan' Wei Ying whispered hoarsely.

'Hmm...'

Hands were urgently removing fabrics out of the way as pants were shed and their arousals freed.

'Lan Zhan, come inside me now' Wei Ying begged.

Lan Zhan didn't wait to be told twice as he pushed Wei Ying's back against a wooden beam, lifted him up and parted his legs wide across his waist.

He positioned his swollen rod at Wei Ying's entrance and thrusted into the tight space.

He felt Wei Ying tense up and his body went rigid. It took all his willpower to slow down his lovemaking momentarily so that he could kiss Wei Ying to help him relax. 

When he could no longer hold himself back, he started grinding Wei Ying, pounding him hard.

Wei Ying panted and his moans grew louder with every single thrust. His mind, body and heart were completely given over to Lan Zhan.

The only thing that was intelligible to Wei Ying as his world spun into helpless ecstasy was forming Lan Zhan's name on his lips as he peaked in sexual fulfilment.

'Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan... ahhh... Lan Zhan...' The blissfulness was making Wei Ying senseless.

'Wei Ying, you are forever mine. I forbid anyone to touch you or look at you the way I do. I will not allow anyone to come between us'

'There is no one else Lan Zhan. I am all yours ...' Wei Ying's voice was strained. He was possessed by the heat of the intensity and his mouth gaped wide open as he rolled in waves of euphoria.

He threw his head back in bewilderment as Lan Zhan emptied his seeds inside of him as he reached his own climax.

'I love you so much Wei Ying' Lan Zhan whispered. 

Those words which he swore never to utter formed easily on his lips and he felt good saying them out loud.

Wei Ying sighed with content and hugged Lan Zhan tightly.

'I love you Lan Zhan. I love you so much my head and heart hurts'

Satisfied that he had won Wei Ying over, a rare smile spread wide across Lan Zhan's face.

'Now that we are clear where we stand with each other, we have a lot of catching up to do to make up for lost time'

Wei Ying narrowed his eyes at Lan Zhan which made him look extremely sexy as he read Lan Zhan's obvious innuendos between the lines.

His heart was bursting with great happiness such that he was having difficulty containing his emotions.

All of a sudden, Wei Ying gasped out loud.

'OMG, I need to get that object' Wei Ying suddenly remembered the reason why he had rushed to the stable. 

Wei Ying dragged Lan Zhan along as they dressed hurriedly and went over to where the horses were kept.

Wei Ying looked for the object on Sui Bian's bridle and found what he was looking for.

He removed the object and held it up for Lan Zhan to see.

It was the same red trinket that the man had shown earlier.

They hurried back inside to where the rest were waiting for them.

As they entered together, Lan Xichen was the only person who noticed that his brother's face was glowing like a sunset while the way Wei Ying was walking looked somewhat awkward.

He kept his thoughts to himself but could not help grinning a little.

Wei Ying handed the object over to the man who nodded his head approvingly.

The man took the object and merged the two parts together right in front of Wei Ying's eyes.

At that very moment, the object transformed into an  
elliptical sphere and Wei Ying felt his whole world spin.

He was immediately transported into another time. Foreign sounds and senses assaulted him.

He could hear a sweet voice singing along to a song he somehow knew and watched soft red silk floating across the floor. 

He tried to chase and catch hold of the moving material but it was out of his grasp.

'Niang! Niang' he called out as he heard the heartwarming laughter of the woman in red.

He reached out for her but she seemed to be moving further away from him. 

He caught sight of her face as she turned around to see him and was stunned by her beauty. Happiness shone from her as if she was the epitome of life. 

Wei Ying felt like he was wrapped in a blanket of peace and love, feelings so strong that they had to be real.Then all of a sudden, she was gone.

He began to cry softly.

'Wei Ying! Wei Ying!' Lan Zhan attempted to wake him from his trance.

'Release him this instance! I am not going to repeat myself!' Lan Zhan warned the man.

'Please stay calm. He is remembering his mother and the song she used to sing to him when he was a child. He's coming around now'

True enough Wei Ying came back to the present. He felt tears on his face and rubbed away the wetness.

'Uncle! Where is my mother?'

Old memories flooded into his head like a torrent as he tried to control his emotions.

The man replied 'She is now amongst the stars in heaven. It broke her heart to send you away before the disease claimed her life and the people of the land'

'You are Prince Wei Wuxian. Your mother was queen of the kingdom. As an only child, she had to ensure your safety and survival by sending you far away. Today is a day for rejoicing as I can stand before her grave and declare that I have succeeded in fulfilling her dying wish'

Wei Ying stood rooted to the ground trying to process everything the man had said.

'Lan Zhan pinch me because I think I am in some kind of a weird dream' Wei Ying whispered.

The man spoke again.

'There is no mistake.  
The late queen made sure that only her own son would recognise the object and on recognition, whatever memories that were blocked would be revived.

It took me a long time to track you down because the original family who was given charge over you gave you away and could not be traced. I later found out that you ended up with the Jiang clan whose leader was tragically murdered. I was terribly worried that your life might have been taken as well'

No wonder the object looked familiar as it was very similar to the black box that the Lan royalty had used. 

Wei Ying's earlier memories could only be triggered when the two parts were assembled together.

Lan Qiren exclaimed in pure amazement.

'The wiseman's prophecy was accurate then. If Wei Ying is indeed a prince, then fate had united Wanji with him. This would explain the fate of how the Lan kingdom would expand with their inevitable union'

Stating those facts almost made Lan Qiren faint as he had no choice now but to accept the reality of the situation. 

Lan Zhan was first to bow down to Wei Ying to show his acceptance of his new identity.

'What are you doing? Don't you dare take another bow in front of everyone. It's awkward'

Turning to the man, Wei Ying tried his best to absorb all the information about his new identity and deal with his additional memories. 

He verbalised slowly what was on his mind.

'So let me get this straight. I am a prince, not a bandit. I have a kingdom somewhere out there which I have inherited from my mother who was a queen...'

'Yes your highness'

Reality hit Wei Ying hard and was making him light headed. His knees buckled a little as they begin to wobble unsteadily.

Lan Zhan steadied him with his hand and didn't let go of his arm. 

'Are you okay?' Lan Zhan 

'Lan Zhan, I am a prince! Can you believe it?' Wei Ying was still numbed by the new discovery.

'Yes you are, so we are both compatible with each other now'

'I don't know anything about running a kingdom'

'I will help you'

'What about our horses?'

'Of all things, you want to ask about our horses?'

'Well, you won't allow Sui Bian anywhere near Bichen'

Lan Zhan sighed. 

'I suppose I can make an exception'

Wei Ying flung himself on Lan Zhan and kissed him in front of everyone.

Lan Zhan seemed pleased with his display of affection such that he was smiling again.

'You complete me Lan Zhan and you are my everything. Neither heaven or earth can separate us'

'Hmm' Lan Zhan nodded in full contentment while hugging Wei Ying tightly.

'Jiang Chen, you can be my prime minister and help me with the running of the palace and Shijie can be the court lady and help run the administration of the palace'  
Wei Ying spoke over Lan Zhan's shoulder where he rested his chin on.

Jiang Chen was speechless but came round to give his brother a slap on his back.

'Lan Zhan, we should build another palace, right between the borders of our kingdoms. That way, we can save time travelling between the two places and attend to the people's problems. Maybe we could train the soldiers in both sword fighting and cultivation methods. No other kingdom would have the benefit of both skills...'

Wei Wuxian's chatter grew louder as he spoke animatedly.

Lan Xichen seemed to be very pleased with how the event had turned out and smiled at his brother who smiled back at him.

Lan Zhan's world was now complete. Whatever the future holds, all that mattered to him was having Wei Ying next to him. He no longer felt the emptiness of his heart as love and peace is filled it to the brim.

He stared fondly at Wei Ying whose hands were still wrapped around him and lifted a silent prayer up to the heavens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if I should write an epilogue or short YiZhan FFs (have a few in mind) or both.
> 
> Peace and love y'all!!! 
> 
> Don't forget to send me comments and kudos! 🌻🌻🌻


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was WYB's birthday on the 5th Aug. Did any of you see the 300 drone project? The display was spectacular! 
> 
> I finally finished the epilogue since most of you wanted me to write it. So here is the final instalment before I call this a wrap! 
> 
> Enjoy and I love you all! I'll catch up with replying your messages soon. Thanks for commenting!

'The people's case had been heard before the court and the ruling will now be made by the princes' Jiang Chen addressed the audience.

'Guilty' Lan Zhan issued his verdict.

'Not Guilty' Wei Ying countered.

Silence gripped the court as everyone held their breath. A civil case had been brought before the two princes but they had never encountered a situation where their decisions differ.

A hand was seen raised at the back of the packed chamber.

'Seeking permission to speak your royal highnesses'

'Proceed' Lan Zhan said curtly.

'The man before you is my neighbour of ten years. I can attest that he is a fine person, a man of principle and virture. I do not believe that he is guilty of the said crime'

Jiang Cheng stood to control the crowd as their murmurs grew louder and people started moving about restlessly anxious to know the final outcome.

'The court will have a ten minute recess before convening again'

Lan Zhan turned to his prince charming.

'Wei Ying, why did you rule him innocent when he had clearly confessed the crime?' Lan Zhan was curious to find out.

'Lan Zhan, he avoided answering how he was able to break open the tomb to retrieve those treasures'

'Wei Ying, the graveyard caretaker had already identified him. There is no mistake'

'But Lan Zhan... something is amiss, he may have confessed to the crime but he wasn't able to explain how he did it and that bothered me'

Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. 

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had been married for a year now. Their infamous union and double wedding celebration were the talk of the century amongst kingdoms such that people marvelled at their heart warming love story.

In Lan Zhan's eyes, nothing had changed. Wei Ying was still pretty much his entire world. 

His charm never ceased to work magic on Lan Zhan's heart and Jiang Chen secretly envied their relationship.

'You have a point. We will get to the bottom of this' Lan Zhan's eyes softened as he caught on Wei Ying's reasoning.

Jiang Chen felt like he was out of tune with the princes. They seemed to speak exclusively in a language that only they could understand which made it impossible for him to follow their train of thoughts.

'Alright, Wei Wuxian. I trust that you would make things crystal clear so that we can wrap up this case' His brother uttered in frustration.

The small exchange of smiles between the princes gnawed at Jiang Chen's heart. He wished he could have half of what the love birds had.

'Silence! The court is back in session' Jiang Chen settled the people down promptly.

Wei Ying stood before the crowd.

'Master Deng, you confessed to stealing but yet could not elaborate how you opened the tomb. Could it be that you were protecting someone... someone who looked exactly like you... say a twin'

On hearing what was said, the man broke down.

'Your highness, the truth seldom escapes you. You are right, I do have a twin brother and he was indeed the thief. I wanted to protect him but I guess he needs to learn his lesson sooner or later'

There were ohs and ahs coming from the crowd as they marvelled at Wei Ying's intelligence. 

Lan Zhan beamed at Wei Ying who flashed him his signature smile.

'Lan Zhan, that's the last case for the day, why don't we...'

He leaned forward and whispered the rest into Lan Zhan's ears which caused his husband's lips to curl up a little.

Jiang Chen shook his head and rolled his eyes. That could only mean one thing. The princes had a ferocious sexual appetite.

***

Wei Ying rearranged the flap of his tunic as he positioned himself on the bed.

He waited impatiently for Lan Zhan and contemplated touching himself to ease his sexual tension.

The door to their bedroom chambers opened as Lan Zhan walked in. He just had a long meeting with his clan's elders and was glad when the session finally came to an end.

The second he laid his eyes on Wei Ying lying half naked on their bed, he had a massive hard on as desire cruised through his veins.

'What are you doing?' Lan Zhan had to ask.

'Trying to seduce you. Is it working?'

'Hmm...'

Wei Ying gestured him over by summoning him with his finger. 

Lan Zhan obeyed eagerly and felt a delicious shiver run down his spine. 

Wei Ying kissed him on the mouth and started disrobing him.

A sexy smile was plastered on his face and his eyes were filled with pure lust.

Wei Ying pushed himself up against Lan Zhan's warm body only to be thrown down on the bed and pinned under Lan Zhan.

'Have you been naughty Wei Ying?' Lan Zhan speaking in an authoritative voice seemed to spice things up for Wei Ying as he loved role playing.

'No, I was merely preparing myself for you'

'Admit it, you were touching yourself. Are you trying to steal that pleasure from me?' Lan Zhan demanded spreading Wei Ying's thighs in a rough manner.

'No! I mean maybe... just a little as I could not wait for you to touch me... Please be gentle with me...'

'Touching without permission warrants a punishment!' Lan Zhan forced Wei Ying's legs to spread wider apart.

'No... I mean yes! Punish me Lan Zhan!'

'Lie still and keep quiet!' 

Wei Ying pretended to whimper as Lan Zhan suddenly turned him over on his stomach and raised him to a kneeling position.

One firm hand was kept on the small of his back to keep him down while the other explored the entrance into the cave of molten desire. He inserted his fingers into Wei Ying making him cry out in pain and desire.

Lan Zhan withdrew his fingers and subsituted them with his engorged penis and let his own body fall atop Wei Ying and started to move inside him.

'Omg, Lan Zhan...' Wei Ying felt the burning sensation of pain and then blissfulness.

'Aren't you enjoying your punishment?'

'Aahh... ohhh' Wei Ying's body was completely under Lan Zhan's control.

Wei Ying mouth was shaped like a huge O and Lan Zhan hooked two fingers inside the wet hole.

'Suck them'

Wei Ying sucked the fingers that moved wildly in his mouth and climaxed.

'Darling, I'm not done yet' Lan Zhan's tone was filled with great frustration.

'I want you in my mouth'  
Wei Ying said out of the blue.

'We've never done ....'

Wei Ying had already reversed their position and was pushing Lan Zhan down on their bed as he crouched over Lan Zhan's massive rod.

He placed his hand at the base of his cock and teased the tip of his cock with his lips which earned him a loud gasp from Lan Zhan.

'Darling, don't stop, take me whole with you mouth. Do it now!' Lan Zhan begged.

Wei Ying inserted the entire length into his mouth and let Lan Zhan feel the back of his throat. 

He watched Lan Zhan through his dark eye lashes and repeated the process of sliding slowly up and down until he heard Lan Zhan moaning under his spell.

'Wei Ying... suck me harder'

Wei Ying complied and quickened his movement pushing the engorged member down into his throat again and again.

Not long after, he felt a surge of warm liquid in his mouth and swallowed the entire load wiping away traces that had escaped down on his lips.

'Wei Ying, you just swallowed me'

Wei Ying laughed merrily.

'You were so hot. I want to suck you again later' 

'I could do you now...' Lan Zhan said quickly.

Before Wei Ying could respond, Lan Zhan was already pinning him down on the bed as his hungry mouth sought Wei Ying's cock. 

The pure sensation was driving him senseless into a wrecking ball.

***

'Wei Ying!' Jiang Chen hissed. 

'What?'

'Why is she here?' Jiang Chen nodded his head toward the direction of the banquet hall.

Wei Ying followed Jiang Chen's gaze to see the party organiser Wen Qing unpacking a stack of boxes.

'She's our party organiser for Lan Zhan's surprise birthday celebration. Tell you what, I need to distract Lan Zhan so why don't you deal with her while I keep Lan Zhan out of the way. Oh Miss Wen!' Wei Ying was all smiles as he waved to her.

'Wait! What are you doing Wei Ying?!'

'Don't worry Jiang Chen. I'll keep Lan Zhan busy... most probably in bed... and you can make yourself helpful by assisting Wen Qing'

'I don't want to know what you do with Lan Zhan but... I don't know what to say to her... why did you have to pick her and not someone else?'

'Because she is the best and because she was nice enough to give me a hefty discount. I'm broke. I have money but they belong technically to my kingdom. Only my husband has excess cash but I couldn't possibly use his own money to organise his surprise birthday right?'

Wen Qing walked over to where Wei Ying and Jiang Chen stood.

Wei Ying noticed that she was looking at his brother intensely and the usual explosive Jiang Chen seemed to have lost his tongue all of a sudden.

Wei Ying scratched his nose and thought for a second and then a thought came into his head.

'Wen Qing, I am leaving my brother in charge of the organising as I need to keep Lan Zhan away from the surprise so... Wen Qing, this is Jiang Chen and Jiang Chen, this is Wen Qing. I'm going to take my leave now'

The two didn't seem to even hear him as he walked away smiling mischievously.

'Hi' Jiang Chen said first, eager to break their silence.

'Hi' Wen Qing replied.

More silence filled the gap between them.

'It's been awhile since we last met at my brother's wedding'

Wen Qing merely nodded and bowed her head.

'How have you been?'

'Just fine. And you?'

'Yeah. Fine. I'm fine... '

Wen Qing nodded and turned around to walk back to where she had been unpacking the party decorations.

'Wait... Okay I could be better. Maybe, just a little... lost after I didn't hear back from you'

Wen Qing turned her head to one side without turning around.

'Jiang Chen, you were the one who ignored me. Do yourself a favour. Learn to love yourself first before trying to love someone else'

She paused and then added  
on.

'I've already moved on. I'm now a married woman and happened to be happily married'

The last sentence hit him hard in his gut and it felt like an arrow had pierced into his heart. He was already too late.

Jiang Chen had always worn an inferior complex chain around his neck.

Everyone around him seemed to be happily married including Shijie who tied the knot with the unlikable Jin Zixuan aka the pompous peacock though he had turned out to be slightly more amiable after marrying Shijie. 

Jiang Chen let himself wallow in self pity a little while longer before contemplating going out for a hunt. 

Forget the party. Why should he be bothered about his brother's husband's birthday celebration when he is not getting what he wanted.

The truth of the matter was did he even know what he wanted? Wen Qing's straightforwardness about asking him to love himself first still rang in his ears.

Taking a last look at Wen Qing who seemed to be in her world of work, Jiang Chen turned around and bumped into someone.

Firm but gentle hands steadied him. He was ready to fire a full round of profanity when he realised that he had bumped into Lan Xichen.

'Lan Xichen. Excuse my manners. I didn't mean to act so clumsily'

'No need for an apology. I came to see if you needed my help since your brother told me he had left you in charge'

'You know how Wei Ying is. He can't even stay to plan his own husband's birthday' he shook his head.

For some reason, he didn't feel like he wanted to go out hunting anymore and he couldn't possibly let Lan Xichen finish up the work alone so he made up his mind to stay. He also wanted to prove to Wen Qing that he too could move on.

'How kind of you to help. Let's get started then' Jiang Chen said good naturedly.

Jiang Chen was well aware that he seldom loose his temper when he was in the company of Lan Xichen. Somehow, he felt comfortable with him for as long as he had known him and felt it was safe to let his guard down. 

If he was truthful, Lan Xichen seemed to bring the best out of him. He suddenly wanted to know what Lan Xichen thought of him. 

The sect leader was always careful and would never reveal much about himself in public. He wondered the extent of his relationship with Meng Yao and could not imagine the shock and pain he had gone through though it had been a year now.

'I'm sorry about Meng Yao' Jiang Chen realised too late that he had uttered his thoughts out loud.

Lan Xichen seemed startled by what Jiang Chen had said but didn't seem to take offence.

'After I got over the shock, I realised that no matter how careful I try to be, I would still be exposed to uncertainties and trickeries. I guess our vulnerabilities make us human'

Jiang Chen couldn't agree more. 

'I never told you this but I truly enjoy being in your company. You make me feel like a real person'

'The feeling is mutual. I have always admired your strength and honour'

The two of them shared a smile as they began to work on getting the party ready.

***

'Lan Zhan, wait! I think I need another round' Wei Ying put on his best seductive look. He has to keep Lan Zhan out of the west wing for another two hours.

'Wei Ying, that was 5 rounds not counting the 3 rounds we did in the morning. Something is going on. What is it?'

'Nothing! Nothing! I just read a really passionate love story so I'm bursting with so much love hormones that I need you' he batted his eye lashes at Lan Zhan.

'Darling, as much as I want to bond with you again, I need to take a walk. You can come along if you like'

'Okay, okay. A walk is fine but I get to choose where we go'

Lan Zhan was very sure Wei Ying was up to something but decided to play along.

'Okay, after you my prince charming'

Wei Ying wore his best smile which never ceased to capture Lan Zhan's heart such that he was almost tempted to stay back and resume their love making but decided to let him hook his arms in his and followed him out of their bedroom.

'Let's go down to the Cold Spring. We can take a dip in the cold water since it's so hot today' Wei Ying flashed him another irresistible smile which Lan Zhan knew all too well which would would most definitely lead him to commit indecent acts.

He sighed inwardly. His husband's sexual appetite was definitely unprecedented today. He either did something wrong which he couldn't bear to tell him yet or he was keeping some things hidden from him. He made a mental note to talk to his brother later and decided to enjoy the moment.

***

'Lan Zhan, we got to go now' 

There was a slight panic in Wei Ying's voice.

'Get dressed. It was all my fault for tiring you out...' Wei Ying started babbling. 

Strong arms pulled him back to bed but Wei Ying was determined to make Lan Zhan get up.

'No, no, I want you to get up this instance and go with me to the Banquet Hall'

'Banquet Hall... Don't tell me you want me to fuck you on the main table?'

'That's an idea... but not for today! Come on, please get up and come with me!' Wei Ying lamented again.

Lan Zhan got up reluctantly and let Wei Ying dressed him.

As they made their way to the hall, Lan Zhan noticed that the entire palace was unusually quiet as if no one was around.

Wei Ying pushed the door of the Banquet Hall open. Lan Zhan suddenly sprang into action, pushing him behind him and drawing his sword which he had carried with him for protection.

Suddenly poping sounds were heard from inside and the bright lights illuminated the entire hall.

Lan Zhan held his sword high up in a defense mode as he felt Wei Ying hugging him behind and then planting a kiss on his shoulders.

'Happy Birthday Lan Zhan' he yelled and the entire clan came out from their hiding place and chorused after him.

Lan Zhan turned to face the love of his life.

This was the reason why we had 13 rounds of sex today? 

'Shhh everyone can hear us' Wei Ying answered his ears going very red.

Lan Zhan drew him into his arms and kissed him deeply on the mouth.

'Then I wish it's my birthday every single day' he whispered into Wei Ying's ears.

Wei Ying gasped out loud not expecting that sort of reaction from Lan Zhan and cupped his own mouth.

Wen Qing, Jiang Chen and Lan Xichen did an amazing job setting up the banquet hall like a market street replica which had captivated Lan Zhan just before he went missing. Stall ran on both sides of a gravel road made from tiny stones.

Even Wei Ying was impressed with the set up and grabbed Lan Zhan's hand to peruse each stall which had a birthday wish displayed as part of Lan Zhan's birthday celebration.

They stopped by a lantern stall and chose one that had rabbit prints.

'Perfect to light it for our night walk afterward' Wei Ying bumped shoulders with Lan Zhan and winked at him.

Lan Zhan was bemused and helped to carry the lantern for his highly strung husband. 

'Hey, about what you said earlier about... you know... treating each day as your birthday... you were joking right?'

'Was I?' Lan Zhan hid a smile.

Wei Ying froze.

'Honey, can you be considerate? I don't think I would be able to walk any more if you insist on doing me so many times every day!'

'You seemed fine to me and there's a few more hours left before the end of the day...'

'Lan Zhan! You're too much!' Wei Ying protested but couldn't quite continue seeing Lan Xichen and Jiang Chen had approached them.

'Happy birthday Wanji' Lan Xichen greeted his brother fondly.

'Thanks ge'

'Wishing you a lifetime of joyous blessings' Jiang Chen quipped and bowed low.

'Thank you brother in law' Lan Zhan bowed in return.

'Where's Wen Qing?' Wei Ying directed the question at his brother.

'Ah, she had to return home to her husband and couldn't stay'

'She's married?? But I thought you liked her!' 

'Wei Ying...' Lan Zhan shook his head.

'It's ok. It happened a long time ago. I have moved on now'

'This won't do. Lan Zhan, we need to help Jiang Chen find someone...'

'Come on, you can give me my present now' Lan Zhan dragged his husband away.

Jiang Chen was too glad to get rid of his brother before things got too awkward. Lan Xichen seemed to be smiling knowingly at Jiang Chen who couldn't help but smiled back. They could still hear Wei Ying's protest from where they stood.

'But Lan Zhan, seriously... we need to help my brother. We can't let him live alone no matter how temperamental he is'

'I think he has someone already...'Lan Zhan said calmly.

'Really? Who? Did he tell you? Come on Lan Zhan you can't keep me in the dark. Tell me who!'

Lan Zhan just kept on walking unfazed much to Wei Ying's annoyance.

***

Lan Zhan closed his eyes just as he was told to do so.

He could hear footsteps nearing and waited patiently to hear Wei Ying's voice.

'Okay, you may open your eyes now'

Lan Zhan opened his eyes and saw Wei Ying and Ah Yuan. Puzzled, he looked at Wei Ying.

'Remember that we needed a heir to the throne, yours and mine? I went and got Ah Yuan's adoption legalised. He is now a Lan and his name is now Lan Sizhui'

Lan Zhan looked from Wei Ying to an extremely nervous Ah Yuan and suddenly reached out and pulled them both into his embrace.

'At last, my loving family' Lan Zhan was beyond touched by what Wei Ying had done for them and tears threatened to ruin his voice so he didn't speak further.

Wei Ying rubbed Lan Zhan's back affectionately and hugged them both in return.

'Welcome to the family Ah Yuan'

Ah Yuan loved Wei Ying and Lan Zhan ever since he was rescued from his deranged father. 

They had been raising him like their own child. His mother had left him in the princes care and returned to the village to live in solidarity.

'You will one day rule over two kingdoms Sizhui. We will help groom you' Wei Ying said excitedly.

Lan Zhan looked over at him, his heart filled with pride and love that no words could describe how happy Wei Ying made him feel. It was the best birthday he had in his entire life and he knew there would be more surprises in store in future. There was never a dull moment when his Wei Ying is around and he intend to keep him forever.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the epi. I left JC's relationship 'open' (ONLY mention of it is in this epi) so that you can come to your own conclusions. I love my YiZhan and have two more short stories lined up for you. They are obviously not written yet and I don't know when I'll write them. So stay tuned!!! 
> 
> So drop me more comments and don't forget to leave me kudos if you are new and if you approve my work. Thanks you for following me on this journey and I love you all!!! 💕


End file.
